Model for prioritization of Graduate Medical Education funding at a university setting - Engagement of GME committee with the Clinical Enterprise.

BACKGROUND: Funding for graduate medical education (GME) is becoming scarce and is likely to worsen. There is a higher degree of accountability and return on investment demanded from public funds dedicated to GME. Academic centers (AC) partnered with clinical enterprises (CE) are finding it increasingly difficult to retain sustainable funding streams for GME activities. METHODS: To develop and implement a novel algorithmic funding model at one AC in symbiotic partnership with the CE for all 50 GME programs with nearly 500 residents. RESULTS: A new GME Finance and Workforce Committee was convened which was tasked with developing the novel algorithmic financial model to prioritize GME funding. Early outcomes measures that were monitored consisted of: satisfaction of all stakeholders and financial savings. CONCLUSIONS: The model was presented to all the stakeholders and was well received and approved. Early signs, demonstrated AC and CE satisfaction with the model, financial savings and increased efficiency. This GME funding model may serve as a template for other academic centers with tailored modifications to suit their local needs, demands and constraints.

Anesthesia-related cardiac arrest.

BACKGROUND: Much is still unknown about the actual incidence of anesthesia-related cardiac arrest in the United States. METHODS: The authors identified all of the cases of cardiac arrest from their quality improvement database from 1999 to 2009 and submitted them for review by an independent study commission to give them the best estimate of anesthesia-related cardiac arrest at their institution. One hundred sixty perioperative cardiac arrests within 24 h of surgery were identified from an anesthesia database of 217,365 anesthetics. An independent study commission reviewed all case abstracts to determine which cardiac arrests were anesthesia-attributable or anesthesia-contributory. Anesthesia-attributable cardiac arrests were those cases in which anesthesia was determined to be the primary cause of cardiac arrest. Anesthesia-contributory cardiac arrests were those cases where anesthesia was determined to have contributed to the cardiac arrest. RESULTS: Fourteen cardiac arrests were anesthesia-attributable, resulting in an incidence of 0.6 per 10,000 anesthetics (95% CI, 0.4 to 1.1). Twenty-three cardiac arrests were found to be anesthesia-contributory resulting in an incidence of 1.1 per 10,000 anesthetics (95% CI, 0.7 to 1.6). Sixty-four percent of anesthesia-attributable cardiac arrests were caused by airway complications that occurred primarily with induction, emergence, or in the postanesthesia care unit, and mortality was 29%. Anesthesia-contributory cardiac arrest occurred during all phases of the anesthesia, and mortality was 70%. CONCLUSION: As judged by an independent study commission, anesthesia-related cardiac arrest occurred in 37 of 160 cardiac arrests within the 24-h perioperative period.

Dental injury associated with anesthesia: a report of 161,687 anesthetics given over 14 years.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency, outcomes, and risk factors for dental injury related to anesthesia. DESIGN: Case-control study. SETTING: Tertiary-care university hospital. PATIENTS: Patients who had a perianesthetic dental injury between August of 1989 and December 31, 2003. MEASUREMENTS: A 1:2 case control study was done to identify the frequency, outcomes, and risk factors for dental injury. Perianesthetic dental injuries were defined as any notable change to the patient's dentition during the perianesthetic period that may or may not have required dental consultation or treatment. MAIN RESULTS: Seventy-eight patients with perianesthetic dental injury were identified. The incidence of dental injury was one per 2,073 anesthetics. Eighty-six percent of dental injuries were discovered by the anesthesia provider. Maxillary incisors were the most frequently injured teeth. The most commonly reported injuries were enamel fracture, loosened or subluxated teeth, tooth avulsion, and crown or root fracture. Patients with poor dentition or reconstructive work, whose tracheas were moderately difficult or difficult to intubate, were at much higher risk (approximately 20-fold) of dental injury than those with good dentition and found to be easy to intubate. Among those whose tracheas were easy to intubate, patients with poor dentition or reconstructive work were 3.4 times more likely to have dental injuries related to anesthesia. CONCLUSIONS: Dental injury is one of the most common adverse events reported in association with anesthesia. Risk factors include preexisting poor dentition or reconstructive work and moderately difficult to difficult intubation.