Resident physicians as human information systems: sources yet seekers.

Objective: To characterize question types that residents received on overnight shifts and what information sources were used to answer them.

Materials And Methods: Across 30 overnight shifts, questions asked of on-call senior residents, question askers' roles, and residents' responses were documented. External sources were noted.

The Development of a Web-based Resident Sign-out Training Program.

Patient sign-out is a mechanism for transferring information, responsibility, and/or authority from one set of caregivers to another. Little research has addressed what information should be communicated during sign-out and how sign-out should be conducted and evaluated. As hospital residents conduct many sign-outs and have limited time in general, targeted web-based training and evaluation have the potential to enhance Graduate Medical Education.

Collaborating With Physicians to Redesign a Sign-Out Tool: An iterative, multifaceted approach with users - even busy ones - can yield a satisfying and efficient product.

Physician sign-out is a mechanism for transferring patient information from one group of hospital care-givers to another at shift changes. Support tools are critical to the success of sign-out. To ensure that a tool is effective, designers must collaborate with end users, but collaboration can be difficult when working with users who are busy and have irregular schedules.