New York Healthcare Law Blog

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education has proposed new guidelines to limit the number of hours medical residents work and to increase supervision for interns.  The proposal slightly revises regulations adopted seven years ago, requiring that doctors in their first year of residency training programs be more closely supervised by experienced doctors with the maximum length of their work shifts to be cut from 24 to 16 hours.  Under the new proposal maximum work shifts would remain 24 hours for residents in their second year and beyond and maximum work week would remain at 80 hours for all hospital residents. 

In addition,  all residents and their supervisors would now be required to explain their roles to patients and clearly state the fact that supervisors are ultimately in charge of their care.  This part of the proposal receives mixed review from physicians and healthcare activists. Many doctors feel that with so much supervision over an intern, they wont be able to develop independent clinical judgment and grow as physicians.  While the chief health care officer at the Association of American Medical Colleges supports the changes, calling the proposal a good comprimise in a challenge to balance revised hours for inters with continuity of care patients, the President of the American Medical Student Association favors the 16-hour shift limit but says the emphasis on increased supervision and informing patients about the roles of residents will certainly make a difference in patient care, and not for the better.