ICOMPARE

ICOMPARE is a research study that was conducted to compare the effects of two different duty hour policies on patient safety, resident education, and resident well-being. The study was conducted by the Flexible Duty Hour Policy Trial Group under the auspices of the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) and the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).

Background

The ACGME implemented new resident duty hour policies in 2011 to improve patient safety and resident well-being. However, these policies were met with mixed reactions from the medical community. Some believed that the new policies would improve patient safety and resident well-being, while others were concerned that they would negatively impact resident education and continuity of care. In response to these concerns, the ABIM and the ACGME sponsored the ICOMPARE study to evaluate the effects of the new policies.

Methodology

The ICOMPARE study was a cluster-randomized trial that included more than 6,000 Internal Medicine residents from 63 different programs. The programs were randomly assigned to one of two groups: a standard policy group, which adhered to the 2011 ACGME duty hour policies, or a flexible policy group, which had no limits on shift length or mandatory time off between shifts.

Findings

The ICOMPARE study found no significant difference in patient safety, resident well-being, or educational outcomes between the two groups. These findings suggest that flexible duty hour policies may be as safe and effective as standard policies.

Implications

The findings of the ICOMPARE study have important implications for resident duty hour policies. They suggest that flexibility in duty hours may not compromise patient safety or resident well-being, and may even enhance resident education. However, further research is needed to confirm these findings and to explore other potential effects of flexible duty hour policies.

See Also

• ACGME
• ABIM
• Internal Medicine
• Patient Safety
• Resident Education
• Resident Well-being

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