Practice-based Learning and Improvement

• Fellows will remain diligent in updating their knowledge with regard to advances in allied health disciplines.
• Fellows will demonstrate an ability to access multiple resources for obtaining timely evidence to guide patient care decisions and be able to explain their decision-making rationale. Fellows will demonstrate ability to perform a detailed assessment of their patient care practice and be able to identify best practices and areas for improvement.
• Fellows will participate in and lead journal clubs, M&M conferences, and Grand Rounds as indicated.
• Fellows will be engaged in the education and training of residents and medical students, where appropriate.
• Fellows will seek and accept constructive feedback concerning their practices.
• Fellows will use feedback from faculty and their own self-assessments to develop a plan for filling gaps in knowledge or skills. Fellows will learn the basics of practice management to include billing and coding for operative procedures, where relevant.
• Fellows will actively participate in bench, clinical, or basic science research as it applies to their situation.

Interpersonal and Communication Skills

• Fellows will provide concise and accurate communication of clinical information both in verbal and written form.
• Fellows will demonstrate effective communication with patients and family members in a manner that creates and sustains a professional and therapeutic relationship across a broad range of socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds.
• Fellows will demonstrate a caring attitude toward patients and families.
• Fellows will effectively explain working diagnoses and management. Fellows will demonstrate ability to effectively communicate with physicians, other health professionals and health related agencies about patients’ problems.
• Fellows will maintain comprehensive, timely and legible medical records.

Professionalism

• Fellows will display compassion and respect for all patients even under difficult circumstances.
• Fellows will treat all members of the health care team with respect regardless of their level of power or influence.
• Fellows will advocate for patients’ needs and desires even if they differ from the fellow’s views.
• Fellows will take personal responsibility for the timely completion of all assigned work and medical records.
• Fellows will demonstrate the importance of teamwork by assisting colleagues in need.
• Fellows will demonstrate honesty in their interactions with patients and team members by practicing full disclosure of information with their patients, admitting and disclosing patient care errors, and admitting weaknesses as well as knowledge gaps.
• Fellows will demonstrate respect of patient confidentiality and the importance of best practices for insuring optimal care in the clinical setting.

Systems-based Practice

• Fellows will demonstrate understanding of new technologies and their role in the care of their patients.
• Fellows will demonstrate understanding of the integrative nature of health care and will coordinate the care of their patients utilizing the support of consulting physicians, allied health professionals, and ancillary staff.
• Fellows will develop appropriate discharge and disposition plans for patients by assessing the patients’ access to out-patient services, resources for paying for medications and tests, and by working cooperatively with the discharge planning service to obtain needed treatments and follow-up for their patients.
• Fellows will communicate the discharge plan with the patient’s referring physician to insure adequate follow-up care.
• Fellows will practice cost-effective medicine. Specifically, they will learn to avoid unnecessary tests and minimize length of stay while providing high quality care.
• Fellows will demonstrate understanding of the importance of institutional policy in promoting patient health through strict adherence to infection control policies and specific treatment protocols.
• Fellows will demonstrate understanding of documentation criteria for different levels of care.
• Fellows will develop an understanding of the nature and importance of regulatory requirements implemented by agencies such as the Joint Commission, CMS, RRC, CODA and The Fellowship Council.