Starting in July, two trials will investigate the effect of limiting trainee duty hours on the quality and safety of patient care as well as resident education, according to a report in JAMA.
As part of the Comparative Effectiveness of Models Optimizing Patient Safety and Resident Education randomized trial, also known as iCOMPARE, internal medicine residents and interns will have fewer limitations on their work hours.
Fifty-eight internal medicine training programs are participating in the year-long iCOMPARE trial for which trainees will either be assigned to work current duty-hour standards (a maximum of 16 hours per continuous work period) or a flexible work regimen.
The flexible regimen will limit trainees to working a maximum of 80 hours per week, having one day off out of every seven and taking night calls no more than every third night.
Results from a second trial involving 152 general surgery hospital residents — Flexibility in Duty Hour Requirements for Surgical Trainees, or FIRST — will also be analyzed.
Researchers will measure patient safety using Medicare claims for 30-day mortality rates. Trainee education will be assessed using participant surveys and examination scores.
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