Teaching resident physicians to work with the previously incarcerated patient

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Public Health
• Health Disparities

Background:

• Over 2 million adults are incarcerated in the US, with over 650,000 returning to the community annually.
• This population experiences a high burden of chronic disease and socioeconomic challenges.
• Medical residency programs lack adequate training in caring for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a method for "educating the educators" on providing sensitive and effective care to patients with incarceration experience.
• To enhance physicians' self-reflection regarding biases and worldviews when interacting with this patient group.
• To identify strategies for improving patient engagement, retention, and compliance in healthcare.

Main Methods:

• A workshop was conducted at a national conference for healthcare educators.
• Attendees engaged in exercises focused on assumptions, expectations, bias, and worldview.
• Strategies for patient engagement and retention were discussed and identified.

Main Results:

• Participants increased their capacity for self-reflection concerning patient interactions.
• Effective strategies were identified to improve patient retention and compliance.
• The workshop served as a model for "educating the educators" in this specialized area.

Conclusions:

• Developing and implementing medical residency curricula is crucial for training physicians to care for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals.
• Incorporating this training into existing rotations and establishing structured transition clinics can improve health outcomes.
• Addressing the unique needs of this population is essential for achieving health equity.