Dartmouth Atlas: Big differences in how academic med centers train residents

A report from the Dartmouth Atlas Project found significant variations in quality, safety and end-of-life care.

Politico Pro: Dartmouth Atlas Gears Study To Young Docs
The Dartmouth Atlas is out with another primer to regional variation in medical care, this one focusing on end-of-life care for the chronically ill and certain "preference sensitive" surgeries. But the new report is specifically designed to be a guide for young doctors and doctors-to-be. And its message is the way they treat patients will be shaped in part by where they train, and who trains them. The authors -; who include doctors in training -; called it the "hidden curriculum" (Kenen, 10/30).

Modern Healthcare: 'Drastic' Variations In Care Found At Top Academic Medical Centers
Patterns of care vary widely among 23 top U.S. academic medical centers ... Noting that all the institutions studied are affiliated with medical schools and "should be exemplars of evidence-based medicine," the report found significant variations in intensity of end-of-life care, surgical procedure rates, patient-reported experience, patient safety and quality of care (Robeznieks, 10/30). 

Kaiser Health News: Capsules: For Med Students, How To Define 'Best' Residencies
[M]ore intense care can translate into worse and more expensive care at the end of life, according to the authors. The thinking is that physicians who train at hospitals with better and more efficient care will be better-prepared to become leaders in changing how health care is delivered in this country (Gold, 10/30).