- Email: [email protected]
Telegeriatrics Interprofessional Team Training Curriculum: A Needs Assessment
Poster Abstracts / JAMDA 14 (2013) B3eB26
Conclusion/Discussion: The concept of teaching nursing homes formally began in the 1980’s. However, many of the partnerships between medicine and nursing schools and the facilities did not endure as funding expired. In 2005, there were only 35 self-identified teaching nursing homes in one report. We describe the development of a new partnership with a community nursing home that enhances the education in long term care for geriatric fellows. This could serve as one model for other academic programs to expand long term care education that is a critical component of learning to care for our aging population. Author Disclosures: All authors have stated there are no financial disclosures to be made that are pertinent to this abstract.
Medical Students as Teachers in Extended Care (MedTEC): Development of an Interdisciplinary Teaching Program for Medical Students Presenting Author: Amanda Lathia, MD, Cleveland Clinic Division of Geriatric Medicine Author(s): Amanda Lathia, MD; and Barbara Messinger-Rapport, MD, CMD, PhD
Introduction/Objective: The ability to understand different sites and levels of care in the community to which older adults are discharged from the hospital is an important competency that is often neglected in medical school curriculum. The required rotation in geriatrics for medical students at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine (CCLCM) of Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) lacked formal teaching about levels of care and transitions of care. Students on the rotation demonstrated difficulty with differentiating levels of care and limited understanding of the significance of care transitions. The Medical Students as Teachers in Extended Care (MedTEC) program was developed to improve medical students’ knowledge of and comfort with different levels of care, including both post-acute and extended care, as well as with the transitions of older adults between various care settings. Design/Methodology: MedTEC was designed to be a required component of the geriatric medicine experience at Cleveland clinic for 3rd through 5th year medical students. The program is held monthly and takes place over an entire day at a community facility that consists of both skilled nursing and long term care. 4-6 students at a time meet with the primary faculty preceptor and receive a detailed educational session reviewing post-acute and extended levels of care, transitions of care, and financial systems (including Medicare and Medicaid). The students receive a pocket card describing in detail the different levels of care. The program also includes a tour of the facility, opportunities to talk with facility staff and with patients, and also an in-service session for facility staff led by the students and the preceptor on topics relating to care of older adults in the facility. The program is evaluated through pre and post- program tests/surveys, which were approved by the Cleveland Clinic IRB. The surveys assess students’ self-efficacy, attitudes, and knowledge regarding levels of care and transitions of care, both before and after the program. Results: The program has been conducted on 13 occasions with a total of 55 medical students. Three in-service sessions have been given to facility staff. Ten students have completed the pre and post-program tests. The average percentage of correct answers on the knowledge test increased from 50.8% on the pretest to 66.7% on the post-test, with an average of 2 point improvement in total number of correct answers. All of the 10 students reported an improvement in self-efficacy and attitudes regarding care of older adults and management of care transitions. Conclusion/Discussion: The MedTEC program is a unique approach to the education of medical students on levels and transitions of care for older adults in the community. Preliminary results from the pre and postprogram surveys have demonstrated an overall improvement in knowledge and self-efficacy after participation in the program. This program, as it becomes refined, may serve as a model for building physician competency on managing medical and psychosocial conditions in different settings of care. Author Disclosures: All authors have stated there are no financial disclosures to be made that are pertinent to this abstract.
B11
Peer-Teaching and WebQuests: Effective Instructional Strategies in Long Term Care Education Presenting Author: Loren M. Wilkerson, MD, Duke University School of Medicine Author(s): Loren M. Wilkerson, MD, Gwendolen Buhr, MD, MEd, CMD; and Heidi White, MD, MEd, CMD
Introduction/Objective: Long Term Care (LTC) has become a critically important area of patient care, as many frail and vulnerable elders use LTC to help meet their health or personal needs. LTC education should be an essential element of residency training and meets the ACGME core competency of systems-based practice, but on-site experiential learning is not always possible. The goal of this curriculum is to improve Internal Medicine residents’ knowledge and self-efficacy in key LTC topics in order to ultimately improve patient care. Design/Methodology: This curriculum was implemented for Internal Medicine residents at Duke University during the 2011-2012 academic year in three separate sessions: (1) “LTC: Learning the Basics” (Basics) which introduces residents to LTC demographics, the different levels of LTC and financing, as well as interpretation of quality indicators; (2) “Ethics in LTC” (Ethics) which overviews ethical principles, elder abuse, common ethical dilemmas, the role of the physician in assessing decision-making capacity, and the concept of shared-decision making; and (3) “Subacute Rehabilitation” (Rehab) which presents the stages of disability, an overview of subacute rehabilitation, and the impact of delirium, dysphagia, pain, and care transitions in geriatric rehabilitation. It was designed with adult learning principles in mind and utilizes a variety of educational strategies to promote higher order thinking in the residents. Each session employed team-teaching and was divided into three basic parts: (1) Introductory interactive lecture; (2) Web-based (WebQuests) learning in small groups; and (3) Peerteaching with discussion. Resident knowledge was measured by preand post-tests and self-efficacy through pre- and post-surveys (5 point Likert Scale 1¼Strongly Agree to 5¼Strongly Disagree for Basics and Ethics; 4 point Likert Scale 1¼Strongly Agree to 4¼Strongly Disagree for Rehab). Residents were also given the opportunity to submit written feedback. Results: There were eight total knowledge questions for the Basics and Ethics sessions and nine total questions for the Rehab session. For each session, knowledge test mean scores improved: Basics pre 3.4 to post 6.4 mean scores; Ethics pre 6.4 to post 7.2 mean scores; and Rehab pre 6.5 to post 7.4 mean scores. Improvement in self-efficacy also occurred, as indicated by decreasing mean Likert scores on the post-surveys. Written feedback was overall positive for the sessions and reflected that the residents felt the sessions were worthwhile and informative. Conclusion/Discussion: In sum, this novel Long Term Care (LTC) curriculum has demonstrated effectiveness in improving Internal Medicine residents ’ knowledge and self-efficacy about important topics in LTC. It can serve as a complement or alternative to clinical bedside teaching. Next steps include expanding the LTC topics presented and including interdisciplinary team members in the sessions. Author Disclosures: All authors have stated there are no financial disclosures to be made that are pertinent to this abstract.
Telegeriatrics Interprofessional Team Training Curriculum: A Needs Assessment Presenting Author: Timothy Mark Corbett, MD, Wake Forest School of Medicine Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine Author(s): Timothy Mark Corbett, MD, Kathryn Callahan, MD, Jamehl Demons, MD, Kimberly Phillips, RN, PhD, Jeff Williamson, MD, MS; and Hall Atkinson, MD, MS
Introduction/Objective: Currently, 12% of the United States population is age 65 or older, but by the year 2030, 20% of the US population is expected to be in this age group. Despite these compelling and growing numbers, today there are only approximately 7,000 geriatricians in the
B12
Poster Abstracts / JAMDA 14 (2013) B3eB26
United States, and <1% of nurses, pharmacists, and physician assistants specialize in geriatrics. Retention and recruitment of health care workers, especially within long term care settings, remains a significant dilemma. Many long term care facilities in rural communities throughout the United States have virtually no access to geriatric medicine. There is a substantial need to harness the expertise of current geriatricians and geriatrics health professionals to efficiently train the remaining workforce to provide competent and compassionate care to older adults. Additionally, improved access to geriatric expertise through the use of innovative efficient teaching models will be critical to the dissemination and education of other health care professionals. Furthermore, the vast majority of older adults have multiple complex chronic illnesses in addition to significant cognitive and functional impairments that require the coordination of care from multiple providers. The effective and efficient management of these geriatric syndromes depends on better team-based care. Objectives: 1) Evaluate interprofessional team training impact on attitudes toward teams and self-perceived teamwork skills. 2) Assess interprofessional team training impact on knowledge of geriatric multidisciplinary competencies: Dementia and Delirium. 3) Compare the impact and acceptability of videoconference versus in-person geriatric interprofessional team training. Design/Methodology: 1) Interprofessional Team Training Program: We have drawn upon resources such as the Hartford Geriatric Interdisciplinary Team Training (GITT) program and Interprofessional Educational Collaborative (IPEC) to design interactive educational sessions that focus on the health care team as a well-functioning unit. 2) Multidisciplinary Competency Education Program: Highlighting several key Partnerships for Health and Aging (PHA)/American Geriatrics Society (AGS) Multidisciplinary Competencies (Dementia and Delirium). Methodology: Quasi-experimental with crossover so that each group will experience both in-person and videoconference interventions. This will allow for between-group as well as in-group analysis. Two levels of evaluation will be employed for both components of the program using pretest-posttest evaluations. 1) Learner Level Evaluation: Attitudes Toward Health Care Teams Scale (ATHCT): Consisting of two subscales: a) Attitudes Towards Team Value and b) Attitudes Towards Team Efficiency. Team Skill Scale (TSS): Selfassessment of skills related to the ability to represents one’s own discipline within the team and apply geriatric principles to care for older adults. Multidisciplinary Competency Questionnaire: Assessment of knowledge related to dementia and delirium. 2) Program Level Evaluation: Course Evaluation: Designed in order to provide feedback pertaining to both the didactic and practicum components. This evaluation will ask learners to: 1) rate the usefulness/relevance of the topic areas and exercises presented in the curriculum, 2) rate the value of and comment on the practicum experience, and 3) compare effectiveness/preference regarding videoconference versus in-person training. Results: Telegeriatric Interprofessional Team Training demonstrated improvement in team members’ attitudes toward teams, self-perceived teamwork skills and knowledge of multidisciplinary competencies. Additionally, when compared to in-person, the video teleconference interprofessional team training curriculum was as effective in improving team members’ attitudes towards teams, self-perceived team skills and knowledge of geriatric multidisciplinary competencies. It was further demonstrated that the telegeriatric interprofessional team training curriculum was well received by team members as an alternate mode of interprofessional team education. **Of note, detailed data analysis is still ongoing and thus specific data results are not currently available at time of this submission** Conclusion/Discussion: Telegeriatrics Interprofessional Team Training Curriculum, a novel educational program, demonstrated effective and acceptable means of education within Long Term Care. However, larger multisite studies are needed to fully assess its feasibility and generalizability. Efforts are currently underway to take Telegeriatrics to this next level. Author Disclosures: All authors have stated there are no financial disclosures to be made that are pertinent to this abstract.
Virtual Reality Computer Simulated Home Visit: Teaching Home Safety Presenting Author: Irene Hamrick, MD, University of Wisconsin Family Medicine Author(s): Irene Hamrick, MD
Introduction/Objective: To improve home safety instruction for health professionals, students and patients leaving long term care facilities to return home. Most health professional students are required to do home visits but may be limited in their experience by driving distance that decreases available time, or by differences in home visit environments. Design/Methodology: Health professional students, resident physicians (combined as learners) and patients (n¼300) will be recruited to take a survey in a computer lab with research assistants on site to answer questions. Participants will enter demographic information and take a home safety pretest. After completing the Virtual Reality Computer Simulated Home Visit (VRCSHV), participants will take a home safety posttest to evaluate learning using identical questions in different orders, followed by an assessment of the software. The VRCSHV is a 3D computer interactive home environment that allows the user to “walk” with a firstperson viewpoint, similar to a video game. Participants look for safety hazards and click on objects to “fix” them. The total number of clicks and correct fixes are recorded. Throughout, the simulation informational boxes explain the hazards and a summary at the end provides feedback. The control group in this pilot study will be family medicine residents scheduled for a home visit. They will complete the pretest, go on a home visit with Dr. Hamrick where she will read the list of hazards, and then take the post-test. After three months, a follow up post-test will be e mailed by the instructors to the learners and patients. Statistical analysis will be recorded by Chi-square and t-test. Results: We hypothesize: Health professionals, learners and patients will improve their knowledge about home safety using VRCSHV; Teaching home safety is more comprehensive with the VRCSHV; Evaluation of home visits will be more uniform and objective than with live home visits and; The VRCSHV is accepted and well received by learners and patients. Conclusion/Discussion: The VRCSHV will teach health professionals, learners and patients to identify and correct safety hazards to make the transition to home safer, more comprehensive and fun, and evaluations more uniform. Author Disclosures: Irene Hamrick, MD has stated there are no financial disclosures to be made that are pertinent to this abstract. What do Family Medicine Residents Know About American Medical Directors Association and Clinical Practice Guidelines? Presenting Author: Murthy R. Gokula, MD, CMD, University of Toledo Department of Family Medicine Author(s): Murthy R. Gokula, MD, CMD, Zahra Aftab, MD, Ehab Wanas, MD, Handel Desa, MD, Anu Garg, MD; and Cletus Iwuagwu
Introduction/Objective: The American Medical Directors Association (AMDA) is an organization dedicated to providing education, advocacy, and information for professionals who work in the long term care field. The Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) are published by AMDA and offer evidence-based, peer-reviewed publications on important topics regarding treatment of common diseases in long term care. These guidelines, recognized by CMS are helpful as evidence based/expert endorsed resources for MDS 3.0 and also serve as a valuable tool for the clinical practitioner. The purpose of this project was to determine the awareness of the AMDA organization and its Guidelines among a select group of Family Medicine Residents (FMR). Design/Methodology: Family Medicine Residents in three community hospital residency programs in a Midwest City were asked to participate in a 10-question survey. The questionnaire evaluated the residents’ familiarity of the AMDA; it’s publication of the Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs), and other associated principals. Surveys were administered electronically and on paper. Results: Less than half of the residents surveyed were aware of AMDA as an organization. A large percentage of the residents who were aware of
Conclusion/Discussion: The concept of teaching nursing homes formally began in the 1980’s. However, many of the partnerships between medicine and nursing schools and the facilities did not endure as funding expired. In 2005, there were only 35 self-identified teaching nursing homes in one report. We describe the development of a new partnership with a community nursing home that enhances the education in long term care for geriatric fellows. This could serve as one model for other academic programs to expand long term care education that is a critical component of learning to care for our aging population. Author Disclosures: All authors have stated there are no financial disclosures to be made that are pertinent to this abstract.
Medical Students as Teachers in Extended Care (MedTEC): Development of an Interdisciplinary Teaching Program for Medical Students Presenting Author: Amanda Lathia, MD, Cleveland Clinic Division of Geriatric Medicine Author(s): Amanda Lathia, MD; and Barbara Messinger-Rapport, MD, CMD, PhD
Introduction/Objective: The ability to understand different sites and levels of care in the community to which older adults are discharged from the hospital is an important competency that is often neglected in medical school curriculum. The required rotation in geriatrics for medical students at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine (CCLCM) of Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) lacked formal teaching about levels of care and transitions of care. Students on the rotation demonstrated difficulty with differentiating levels of care and limited understanding of the significance of care transitions. The Medical Students as Teachers in Extended Care (MedTEC) program was developed to improve medical students’ knowledge of and comfort with different levels of care, including both post-acute and extended care, as well as with the transitions of older adults between various care settings. Design/Methodology: MedTEC was designed to be a required component of the geriatric medicine experience at Cleveland clinic for 3rd through 5th year medical students. The program is held monthly and takes place over an entire day at a community facility that consists of both skilled nursing and long term care. 4-6 students at a time meet with the primary faculty preceptor and receive a detailed educational session reviewing post-acute and extended levels of care, transitions of care, and financial systems (including Medicare and Medicaid). The students receive a pocket card describing in detail the different levels of care. The program also includes a tour of the facility, opportunities to talk with facility staff and with patients, and also an in-service session for facility staff led by the students and the preceptor on topics relating to care of older adults in the facility. The program is evaluated through pre and post- program tests/surveys, which were approved by the Cleveland Clinic IRB. The surveys assess students’ self-efficacy, attitudes, and knowledge regarding levels of care and transitions of care, both before and after the program. Results: The program has been conducted on 13 occasions with a total of 55 medical students. Three in-service sessions have been given to facility staff. Ten students have completed the pre and post-program tests. The average percentage of correct answers on the knowledge test increased from 50.8% on the pretest to 66.7% on the post-test, with an average of 2 point improvement in total number of correct answers. All of the 10 students reported an improvement in self-efficacy and attitudes regarding care of older adults and management of care transitions. Conclusion/Discussion: The MedTEC program is a unique approach to the education of medical students on levels and transitions of care for older adults in the community. Preliminary results from the pre and postprogram surveys have demonstrated an overall improvement in knowledge and self-efficacy after participation in the program. This program, as it becomes refined, may serve as a model for building physician competency on managing medical and psychosocial conditions in different settings of care. Author Disclosures: All authors have stated there are no financial disclosures to be made that are pertinent to this abstract.
B11
Peer-Teaching and WebQuests: Effective Instructional Strategies in Long Term Care Education Presenting Author: Loren M. Wilkerson, MD, Duke University School of Medicine Author(s): Loren M. Wilkerson, MD, Gwendolen Buhr, MD, MEd, CMD; and Heidi White, MD, MEd, CMD
Introduction/Objective: Long Term Care (LTC) has become a critically important area of patient care, as many frail and vulnerable elders use LTC to help meet their health or personal needs. LTC education should be an essential element of residency training and meets the ACGME core competency of systems-based practice, but on-site experiential learning is not always possible. The goal of this curriculum is to improve Internal Medicine residents’ knowledge and self-efficacy in key LTC topics in order to ultimately improve patient care. Design/Methodology: This curriculum was implemented for Internal Medicine residents at Duke University during the 2011-2012 academic year in three separate sessions: (1) “LTC: Learning the Basics” (Basics) which introduces residents to LTC demographics, the different levels of LTC and financing, as well as interpretation of quality indicators; (2) “Ethics in LTC” (Ethics) which overviews ethical principles, elder abuse, common ethical dilemmas, the role of the physician in assessing decision-making capacity, and the concept of shared-decision making; and (3) “Subacute Rehabilitation” (Rehab) which presents the stages of disability, an overview of subacute rehabilitation, and the impact of delirium, dysphagia, pain, and care transitions in geriatric rehabilitation. It was designed with adult learning principles in mind and utilizes a variety of educational strategies to promote higher order thinking in the residents. Each session employed team-teaching and was divided into three basic parts: (1) Introductory interactive lecture; (2) Web-based (WebQuests) learning in small groups; and (3) Peerteaching with discussion. Resident knowledge was measured by preand post-tests and self-efficacy through pre- and post-surveys (5 point Likert Scale 1¼Strongly Agree to 5¼Strongly Disagree for Basics and Ethics; 4 point Likert Scale 1¼Strongly Agree to 4¼Strongly Disagree for Rehab). Residents were also given the opportunity to submit written feedback. Results: There were eight total knowledge questions for the Basics and Ethics sessions and nine total questions for the Rehab session. For each session, knowledge test mean scores improved: Basics pre 3.4 to post 6.4 mean scores; Ethics pre 6.4 to post 7.2 mean scores; and Rehab pre 6.5 to post 7.4 mean scores. Improvement in self-efficacy also occurred, as indicated by decreasing mean Likert scores on the post-surveys. Written feedback was overall positive for the sessions and reflected that the residents felt the sessions were worthwhile and informative. Conclusion/Discussion: In sum, this novel Long Term Care (LTC) curriculum has demonstrated effectiveness in improving Internal Medicine residents ’ knowledge and self-efficacy about important topics in LTC. It can serve as a complement or alternative to clinical bedside teaching. Next steps include expanding the LTC topics presented and including interdisciplinary team members in the sessions. Author Disclosures: All authors have stated there are no financial disclosures to be made that are pertinent to this abstract.
Telegeriatrics Interprofessional Team Training Curriculum: A Needs Assessment Presenting Author: Timothy Mark Corbett, MD, Wake Forest School of Medicine Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine Author(s): Timothy Mark Corbett, MD, Kathryn Callahan, MD, Jamehl Demons, MD, Kimberly Phillips, RN, PhD, Jeff Williamson, MD, MS; and Hall Atkinson, MD, MS
Introduction/Objective: Currently, 12% of the United States population is age 65 or older, but by the year 2030, 20% of the US population is expected to be in this age group. Despite these compelling and growing numbers, today there are only approximately 7,000 geriatricians in the
B12
Poster Abstracts / JAMDA 14 (2013) B3eB26
United States, and <1% of nurses, pharmacists, and physician assistants specialize in geriatrics. Retention and recruitment of health care workers, especially within long term care settings, remains a significant dilemma. Many long term care facilities in rural communities throughout the United States have virtually no access to geriatric medicine. There is a substantial need to harness the expertise of current geriatricians and geriatrics health professionals to efficiently train the remaining workforce to provide competent and compassionate care to older adults. Additionally, improved access to geriatric expertise through the use of innovative efficient teaching models will be critical to the dissemination and education of other health care professionals. Furthermore, the vast majority of older adults have multiple complex chronic illnesses in addition to significant cognitive and functional impairments that require the coordination of care from multiple providers. The effective and efficient management of these geriatric syndromes depends on better team-based care. Objectives: 1) Evaluate interprofessional team training impact on attitudes toward teams and self-perceived teamwork skills. 2) Assess interprofessional team training impact on knowledge of geriatric multidisciplinary competencies: Dementia and Delirium. 3) Compare the impact and acceptability of videoconference versus in-person geriatric interprofessional team training. Design/Methodology: 1) Interprofessional Team Training Program: We have drawn upon resources such as the Hartford Geriatric Interdisciplinary Team Training (GITT) program and Interprofessional Educational Collaborative (IPEC) to design interactive educational sessions that focus on the health care team as a well-functioning unit. 2) Multidisciplinary Competency Education Program: Highlighting several key Partnerships for Health and Aging (PHA)/American Geriatrics Society (AGS) Multidisciplinary Competencies (Dementia and Delirium). Methodology: Quasi-experimental with crossover so that each group will experience both in-person and videoconference interventions. This will allow for between-group as well as in-group analysis. Two levels of evaluation will be employed for both components of the program using pretest-posttest evaluations. 1) Learner Level Evaluation: Attitudes Toward Health Care Teams Scale (ATHCT): Consisting of two subscales: a) Attitudes Towards Team Value and b) Attitudes Towards Team Efficiency. Team Skill Scale (TSS): Selfassessment of skills related to the ability to represents one’s own discipline within the team and apply geriatric principles to care for older adults. Multidisciplinary Competency Questionnaire: Assessment of knowledge related to dementia and delirium. 2) Program Level Evaluation: Course Evaluation: Designed in order to provide feedback pertaining to both the didactic and practicum components. This evaluation will ask learners to: 1) rate the usefulness/relevance of the topic areas and exercises presented in the curriculum, 2) rate the value of and comment on the practicum experience, and 3) compare effectiveness/preference regarding videoconference versus in-person training. Results: Telegeriatric Interprofessional Team Training demonstrated improvement in team members’ attitudes toward teams, self-perceived teamwork skills and knowledge of multidisciplinary competencies. Additionally, when compared to in-person, the video teleconference interprofessional team training curriculum was as effective in improving team members’ attitudes towards teams, self-perceived team skills and knowledge of geriatric multidisciplinary competencies. It was further demonstrated that the telegeriatric interprofessional team training curriculum was well received by team members as an alternate mode of interprofessional team education. **Of note, detailed data analysis is still ongoing and thus specific data results are not currently available at time of this submission** Conclusion/Discussion: Telegeriatrics Interprofessional Team Training Curriculum, a novel educational program, demonstrated effective and acceptable means of education within Long Term Care. However, larger multisite studies are needed to fully assess its feasibility and generalizability. Efforts are currently underway to take Telegeriatrics to this next level. Author Disclosures: All authors have stated there are no financial disclosures to be made that are pertinent to this abstract.
Virtual Reality Computer Simulated Home Visit: Teaching Home Safety Presenting Author: Irene Hamrick, MD, University of Wisconsin Family Medicine Author(s): Irene Hamrick, MD
Introduction/Objective: To improve home safety instruction for health professionals, students and patients leaving long term care facilities to return home. Most health professional students are required to do home visits but may be limited in their experience by driving distance that decreases available time, or by differences in home visit environments. Design/Methodology: Health professional students, resident physicians (combined as learners) and patients (n¼300) will be recruited to take a survey in a computer lab with research assistants on site to answer questions. Participants will enter demographic information and take a home safety pretest. After completing the Virtual Reality Computer Simulated Home Visit (VRCSHV), participants will take a home safety posttest to evaluate learning using identical questions in different orders, followed by an assessment of the software. The VRCSHV is a 3D computer interactive home environment that allows the user to “walk” with a firstperson viewpoint, similar to a video game. Participants look for safety hazards and click on objects to “fix” them. The total number of clicks and correct fixes are recorded. Throughout, the simulation informational boxes explain the hazards and a summary at the end provides feedback. The control group in this pilot study will be family medicine residents scheduled for a home visit. They will complete the pretest, go on a home visit with Dr. Hamrick where she will read the list of hazards, and then take the post-test. After three months, a follow up post-test will be e mailed by the instructors to the learners and patients. Statistical analysis will be recorded by Chi-square and t-test. Results: We hypothesize: Health professionals, learners and patients will improve their knowledge about home safety using VRCSHV; Teaching home safety is more comprehensive with the VRCSHV; Evaluation of home visits will be more uniform and objective than with live home visits and; The VRCSHV is accepted and well received by learners and patients. Conclusion/Discussion: The VRCSHV will teach health professionals, learners and patients to identify and correct safety hazards to make the transition to home safer, more comprehensive and fun, and evaluations more uniform. Author Disclosures: Irene Hamrick, MD has stated there are no financial disclosures to be made that are pertinent to this abstract. What do Family Medicine Residents Know About American Medical Directors Association and Clinical Practice Guidelines? Presenting Author: Murthy R. Gokula, MD, CMD, University of Toledo Department of Family Medicine Author(s): Murthy R. Gokula, MD, CMD, Zahra Aftab, MD, Ehab Wanas, MD, Handel Desa, MD, Anu Garg, MD; and Cletus Iwuagwu
Introduction/Objective: The American Medical Directors Association (AMDA) is an organization dedicated to providing education, advocacy, and information for professionals who work in the long term care field. The Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) are published by AMDA and offer evidence-based, peer-reviewed publications on important topics regarding treatment of common diseases in long term care. These guidelines, recognized by CMS are helpful as evidence based/expert endorsed resources for MDS 3.0 and also serve as a valuable tool for the clinical practitioner. The purpose of this project was to determine the awareness of the AMDA organization and its Guidelines among a select group of Family Medicine Residents (FMR). Design/Methodology: Family Medicine Residents in three community hospital residency programs in a Midwest City were asked to participate in a 10-question survey. The questionnaire evaluated the residents’ familiarity of the AMDA; it’s publication of the Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs), and other associated principals. Surveys were administered electronically and on paper. Results: Less than half of the residents surveyed were aware of AMDA as an organization. A large percentage of the residents who were aware of