YOU CAN LEAD A HORSE TO WATER, BUT CAN YOU MAKE IT DRINK?

CLINICAL GUIDELINES: DOES KNOWING THEM CHANGE PATIENT CARE?

Jamin Morrison,* Marwa Sabe, Jennifer Hannrahan, Cleveland, OH,44106 U.S.A.

Purpose

There is a growing number of clinical guidelines available in the medical literature and it is difficult for healthcare workers and medical students to learn and implement the guidelines. 

1)     Third year medical students in Internal Medicine clerkships will be able to access and interpret clinical guidelines for the most common medical problems. 

2)     Third year medical students will demonstrate their comprehension of these guidelines using computer-simulated cases. 

3)     This same cohort of students will apply these guidelines when formulating patient care plans in their fourth-year acting internships. 

Methods

Baseline assessment will be performed on third year medical students.  During Internal Medicine clerkships, 20 medical students per block at MetroHealth Medical Center will complete a series of computer-based clinical cases with accompanying clinical guidelines and will answer questions regarding the guidelines.  Short-term repeat assessment will be performed at the end of the block.  Subsequently, during fourth-year acting internships in Internal Medicine at MetroHealth Medical Center, charts will be reviewed to assess application of clinical guidelines in patient care. 

Results/Conclusions

1) Will the effect of this intervention result in long-term behavioral change?  2) Does knowing how to access clinical guidelines lead students to access them for other illnesses?  3) What hinders students from accessing and using guidelines?