Medical Error: Using Storytelling and Reflection to Impact Error Response Factors in Family Medicine Residents

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Patient Safety
• Healthcare Quality Improvement

Background:

• Medical errors are prevalent, impacting patients and public trust, yet resident training in error management is insufficient.
• Limited research exists on practicing physicians' error response and educational interventions to improve it.
• This study addresses the need for effective medical error education for residents.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a curriculum designed to improve resident confidence and skills in managing medical errors.
• To foster the sharing of faculty medical error stories and promote constructive coping strategies among residents.
• To assess the impact of a targeted intervention on residents' self-efficacy and self-awareness regarding medical errors.

Main Methods:

• A 6-month curriculum involving three one-hour didactic sessions was implemented for family medicine residents.
• Intervention methods included mentor storytelling, small group discussions, role-playing, and self-reflection.
• Factors influencing effective physician error management and recovery were identified to develop the intervention.

Main Results:

• Post-intervention, 93% of residents reported knowing how to handle medical errors, up from 46% pre-intervention.
• Rates of error story sharing increased, and residents reported enhanced self-efficacy and self-awareness regarding errors.
• While positive trends were observed, changes in self-efficacy and self-awareness did not reach statistical significance.

Conclusions:

• Family medicine residents are receptive to learning about error management from peers and mentors.
• A brief educational intervention can positively influence the culture surrounding medical error disclosure and support.
• Future research should investigate the patient-oriented outcomes of targeted medical error interventions.