Developing a curriculum in obstetric and gynecologic person-centered care to bridge research and practice

Icahn School Of Medicine At Mount Sinai, New York NY

Investigators

Abstract

The US has one of the highest maternal mortality rates of high-income countries, and quality of health care may play a role. The US maternal mortality crisis has resulted in growing awareness of the need for obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) professionals trained in person-centered care. Person-centered care considers patients’ goals, values, medical history, and preferences. From the provider’s viewpoint, this means engaging in supportive provider-patient communication and shared decision-making. However, courses for medical learners that take into account community-member perspectives of person-centered care are lacking. Moreover, a critical area of knowledge often left out of current curricula in obstetrics and gynecology is critically appraising research in person-centered care, specifically as it relates to quality of care and patient experience. A strong data-driven research foundation is essential to promoting quality in OB/GYN health care. Nearly half of medical schools require research in their curriculum with the understanding that research skills are essential even in a primarily clinical medical career. Furthermore, OB/GYN physicians increasingly work in Learning Health Systems where research skills are necessary to effectively integrate evidence-based practices. A course on person-centered health care targeting all medical student learners that is adaptable and uses novel reflective learning is needed to bridge research and practice. Our overall goal is to develop a curriculum for medical student learners about person-centered care in OB/GYN. The course will create new didactic modules in topics including non-medical drivers of health, patient-provider communication, shared decision-making, and patient experience. Cross-cutting themes will be best practices in research, biologic mechanisms, and interventions. The didactic training will be implemented during the OB/GYN clerkship incorporating tools from narrative and graphic medicine (e.g. use of comics to communicate healthcare concepts).