In my exploration of the importance of contextualizing inpatient data, I have been incredibly fortunate to work with Dana Edelson, MD, MS, and Matthew Churpek, MD, PhD, MPH, two mentors at the University of Chicago who are equally passionate about asking these same questions surrounding clinical care. Using ward patient data, we have investigated the importance of physician judgment in clinical deterioration and documented the need for greater sensitivity in recognition of sepsis and organ dysfunction in ward patients. But what can be done to reorient clinicians who are overwhelmed by and desensitized to data streams and bedside alarms?
Improving Patient Care as a Trainee
By Monica Shah
Patient safety has always been a priority for me, but it is only recently that I became aware of the many issues that threaten quality of care for patients. As a medical student, I vividly remember shadowing at the hospital and being shocked at what I saw. I walked through patient rooms and noticed loud beeps, the constant chatter of hospital staff, and the automatic entrance into patients’ rooms without even a knock. I wondered whether all of the disruptions and commotion impacted patient recovery in the hospital and after discharge. After pondering this, I decided that I wanted to take action and see what I, as a medical student, could do to improve daily inpatient conditions.
In order to begin addressing my vision, I knew I needed to find the right mentor in the right location. As a medical student, I feel like my life is on pause at times. During the school year, when exams come in constant waves and my days are spent with my head in notes and books, I am pausing my time with friends and family, using my energy to pursue my dream of helping others improve their health. While I am blessed to have such an opportunity, I knew that during my time off between my first and second year of medical school, I wanted to be in Chicago, near my close friends. And, from there, it seemed as if everything fell into place perfectly. I found on the University of Chicago Medical School website that Dr. Vineet Arora is a prominent Society of Hospital Medicine member who was looking for medical students to conduct research on sleep/functional recovery during hospital stay and post-discharge. The minute I spoke to Dr. Arora, I knew that she would be a great mentor. Not only are her credentials and accomplishments unbelievable, but I could tell she is really passionate about the work she is doing. Her excitement for the project is contagious, and I started getting really excited to start!