CHICAGO — Patients will be told when they’re being treated by rookie doctors, who would get shorter shifts and better supervision under proposed work changes for medical residents.
The draft regulations aim to promote patient safety and reduce medical errors by enhancing work conditions for sometimes sleep-deprived junior physicians.
The proposal slightly revises regulations adopted seven years ago and would have the biggest impact on interns — new doctors in their first year of residency training programs in hospitals after graduating from medical school. They would be more closely supervised by experienced doctors, and the maximum length of their work shifts would be cut from 24 hours to 16 hours.
Maximum workweeks would remain at 80 hours.
All residents and their supervisors also would be required to explain their roles to patients and explain that supervisors are ultimately in charge of their care.
The proposal comes from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.
Medical breakthrough
