Integrating Choosing Wisely, Value-Based Care Principles, Into Undergraduate Medical Education: A Pilot Study

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Health Economics
• Healthcare Administration

Background:

• Healthcare spending is a significant portion of the US GDP.
• Value-based care (VBC) aims to reduce healthcare waste but is under-taught.
• The Choosing Wisely Students and Trainees Advocating for Resource Stewardship (STARS) campaign promotes VBC education in undergraduate medical education (UME).

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the most effective strategy for educating medical students on VBC principles.
• To assess the impact of the Choosing Wisely STARS campaign on UME.

Main Methods:

• Incorporated VBC principles into UME curriculum via eight new learning objectives (LOs).
• Administered annual surveys (2019-2022) and formal exams to medical students.
• Used statistical analyses (Pearson correlation, chi-square, logistic regression) to link LOs with campaign awareness and VBC knowledge.

Main Results:

• Analyzed 700 survey responses; student campaign awareness rose from 39% to 92%.
• Knowledge of VBC principles increased from 64% to 74% over the study period.
• Significant associations found between increased LOs and higher campaign awareness (0.828) and VBC knowledge (0.934).

Conclusions:

• Integrating VBC-focused LOs significantly enhances Choosing Wisely STARS campaign awareness and VBC knowledge.
• Collaborative initiatives for VBC education can improve medical students' understanding of these principles.
• This study highlights the effectiveness of curriculum integration for VBC education.