Quality improvement in resident education: a pilot project to mitigate metabolic side effects from atypical antipsychotic medications in youth

This resident physician-led quality improvement project was conducted with aims to improve the health of youth prescribed atypical antipsychotic medications by increasing physician monitoring for metabolic side effects, while simultaneously educating trainees in quality improvement methodology. The plan, do, study, act quality improvement framework was utilized. Baseline metabolic monitoring rates of patients prescribed atypical antipsychotic medications in the two psychiatry resident outpatient clinics were obtained. Rates were stratified based on time on medication (<1 year, ≥1 year) and parameter monitored. Metabolic monitoring rates subsequent to targeted changes were obtained. Problem solving with residents revealed barriers to monitoring, such as limited awareness of specific guideline recommendations and lack of convenient access to medical equipment (calibrated scales). Residents received education about atypical antipsychotic monitoring guidelines and side effect treatment. Residents were provided with calibrated scales. Atypical antipsychotic monitoring templates were introduced. Online surveys using were conducted to determine self-reported baseline-monitoring rates and comfort with guidelines following targeted change. The baseline metabolic monitoring rates of patients prescribed atypical antipsychotic medications was 9% (range: 0 to 17.6%) for youth in their first year taking an atypical antipsychotic medication and 58.9% (range: 29% to 100%) in subsequent years on medication. The results of relatively easy changes resulted in modest improvement in monitoring rates. The metabolic monitoring rate of a patient initiated on an atypical antipsychotic medication was 29% after targeted quality improvement measures were employed. Following quality improvement changes, residents reported increased knowledge about guidelines and increased monitoring for side effects. Use of a standardized data collection instrument to track monitoring of patients increased from 0% to 70% (range: 30% to 90%). Quality improvement projects provide an avenue with which to improve atypical antipsychotic monitoring rates. Through active participation in quality improvement projects, psychiatry residents may be taught to employ quality improvement methodology.