Phelps Hospital has once again received accreditation for its physician training from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). Accreditation is achieved through an annual review process that includes verification of teaching physician board certification, resident in- and out-patient visit volume, obstetrical deliveries, scholarly activity and procedures. Also included is a review of resident performance on annual in-training exams and the results of an annual, anonymous resident/faculty survey administered by the ACGME.
Dr. Shantie Harkisoon, founding director of the Phelps Family Medicine Residency program, has led the accreditation process since it began in 2011. She said, “Our strong accreditation record reflects the efforts of faculty and residents alike to make the educational experience at Phelps superb. Above and beyond maintaining the integrity of the educational experience here, we value innovation and collaboration in all aspects of residency life.”
The program strives to imbue resident physicians with the confidence to share feedback and uses this feedback to fuel the program’s continual growth. For example, when residents voiced concerns about lapses in the timely discharge of patients, program leaders reinvented the way patient care was taught and delivered, thereby reducing the time patients spent in the hospital.
In this same spirit of innovation and learning, the residency program continually addresses the issue of physician burn-out. A combination of approaches are used in alleviating this complex problem, including a resident-led wellness curriculum, an exceptional team-based model for outpatient care and unique approaches to the numerous administrative tasks physicians need to complete in order to remain credentialed and compliant with ACGME standards.
Of particular interest is a pilot project that provides medical scribes to resident physicians. A scribe is a paraprofessional who records the activities and discussions that take place between a physician and patient, such as during medical exams. The scribe then assists the doctor with important administrative tasks like ordering tests and writing referral letters for patients.
For more information about the Family Medicine Residency Program, contact Julia Miller, LMSW and program coordinator at 914-366-5350.
