USF – College of Medicine

GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION POLICY & PROCEDURE

Title: Duty Hours Exemption Policy		No.: GME- 208 B
Effective Date: 02/15/03	Revision Date: 07/30/2003	Distribution: All
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Policy Statement

The ACGME has authorized an increase in the workhour limit (80 hours per week averaged over 4 weeks) of up to 10% for bona fide educational purposes that benefit the residents. Such increases must be in agreement with the institutional protocol, must be approved by the institutional GMEC.

The USF Graduate Medical Education Committee has approved the policy described herein for requesting and approving workload exemption. The Office of Graduate Medical Education will forward requests approved by the GMEC and the Designated Institutional Official to the corresponding RRC.

Procedure

Responsible Party	Action
Program Director	Submits a request in writing to the Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education.
	The request must address the following items in sufficient detail to allow an informed decision to be made:
	1. How have you assured patient safety during the additional hours that the resident(s) will be unavailable. How have you assured that the additional hours, if approved, will not contribute to resident fatigue and compromise patient safety? 2. What is the educational purpose/rationale for the proposed workload exemption? (Please reference to program specific goals and objectives) 3. What is the specific educational benefit to the residents of the addition of hours? 4. Which residents will be included in this workload exemption? 5. How does the program currently monitor moonlighting? Does the program specifically approve all moonlighting, both internal and external? Does the program include all internal moonlighting in the workhour monitor? 6. What effect will the proposed change have on the call schedule? 7. What is the current departmental methodology for tracking workhours of the residents? 8. What is the current department policy for remediation/correction if a resident exceeds the workhours limit? 9. How does the program monitor resident fatigue? 10. How does the program provide assistance to residents when excessive fatigue is identified? 11. Describe your faculty development program on recognizing and managing resident fatigue.
Associate Dean for GME SSHE subcommittee	Associate Dean, GME will present the request to the SSHE subcommittee (Selection, Supervision, Hours, and Environment) for recommendation
GMEC	The recommendation of the subcommittee will be presented to the assembled GMEC for review and approval.
GME Office	The Office of Graduate Medical Education will forward requests approved by the GMEC and the Designated Institutional Official to the corresponding RRC.

APPROVED:

Associate Dean, Graduate Medical Education

Dean, College of Medicine

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