Development of a Community Hospital Medicine Affiliated Inpatient Rotation for Family Medicine Residents–A Collaborative Success

BACKGROUND: Hospitalists perform key roles as inpatient educators for family medicine residents. For the past decade, Duke University Family Medicine Residency Program had its inpatient family medicine resident rotation at non-Duke facilities. OBJECTIVE: The authors describe the steps taken in 2020 to develop an inpatient Duke family medicine rotation at a North Carolina community hospital, Duke Regional Hospital, and provide outcomes data. METHODS: Duke Family Medicine Residency and Duke Regional Hospital Medicine collaborated in addressing key issues to develop an inpatient rotation for family medicine residents. Performance metrics of patients cared for by both the family medicine inpatient resident team and internal medicine teams were compared. Resident satisfaction survey results were reviewed. RESULTS: Retrospective cohort evaluation comparing the two inpatient services (internal medicine and family medicine) revealed the family medicine resident inpatient service performed comparatively in length of stay and 30-day readmission rates. Resident evaluation surveys of the family medicine inpatient rotation showed overall satisfaction with learning objectives. CONCLUSIONS: This new family medicine inpatient rotation has benefitted all parties. Key quality performance metrics such as LOS and readmissions are comparable to internal medicine, hospitalists have more teaching opportunities, and Duke family medicine has its residents training in a Duke-affiliated community hospital for their core inpatient rotation.