Opinion
ACGME: "Credible evidence" will drive any changes to work-hour limits
LETTER — Posted May 3, 2004
Regarding "Some work-hour limits could change" (Article, April 12):
Your article reported that the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education announced, at its educational conference in March, it is considering modifying duty-hour standards for residents in response to feedback from program directors.
The ACGME common duty-hour standards have been in effect since July 1, 2003.
In keeping with its commitment to promote quality in graduate medical education, the ACGME is collecting information on challenges related to the implementation of the common duty-hour standards from its Residency Review Committees and the education community, including residents.
Any future refinements to the standards will be based on credible evidence that they would further promote, and not harm, resident education, patient safety and resident well-being. Benefits of potential changes will be weighed against their drawbacks.
Ingrid Philibert, staff, ACGME Subcommittee on Duty Hours, Chicago
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2004/05/03/edlt0503.htm.
