New website aims to help medical residents with quality improvement

A recently launched website aims to act as a "central clearinghouse" of content that helps physician residents learn about quality improvement and patient safety issues that are common to teaching hospitals.

The site, QIGateway.org, is sponsored by The Committee of Interns and Residents, (CIR) a union that represents interns, residents and fellows in California, Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, and Washington, D.C.

Users of the site will be able to access peer-reviewed quality improvement literature and case studies, identify best practices and also communicate directly with other residents working on similar projects.

The site is open to CIR members and other residents, according to a statement announcing the site's launch.

A video that introduces the site describes its purpose like this: "Learn form your fellow residents. Share your research and experience. Improve patent care - and your career."

Spurring the website's launch are looming changes in medical education. By 2015, all residents will be required by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education to demonstrate clinical competency in quality improvement and patient safety, according to CIR.

"I encourage all resident physicians to visit this site, appreciate the growing body of quality and safety work being done by resident physicians across the country, and share your own quality and safety projects with others so that together we can continue to reduce risk and make care safer for all our patients," wrote David Mayer, MD, on the blog Educate the Young.

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