Use of the Electronic Health Record to Track Continuity of Care in Neurological Surgery Residency.

Background: Continuity of care in neurological surgery includes preoperative planning, technical and cognitive operative experience, and postoperative follow-up. Determining the extent of continuity of care with duty hour limits is problematic.

Objective: We used electronic health record data to track continuity of care in a neurological surgery program and to assess changes in rotation requirements.

Methods: The electronic health record was surveyed for all dictated resident-neurological surgery patient encounters (excluding progress notes), discharge summaries, and bedside procedures (July 2009-November 2011). Encounters were designated as preoperative, operative, or postoperative and were grouped by postgraduate year (PGY)-1 through PGY-6.

Results: A total of 6382 dictations were reviewed, with 5231 (82.0%) pertinent to neurological surgery. Of the 1469 operative notes, 303 (20.6%) had a record of an encounter with the operating resident in either a postoperative or preoperative setting. Preoperative encounters totaled 10.1% (148 of 1469); postoperative, 5.1% (75 of 1469); and encounters with both were 5.4% (80 of 1469). Continuity of care was as follows: PGY-1, 13.8% (4 of 29); PGY-2, 17.4% (26 of 149); PGY-3, 29.0% (36 of 124); PGY-4, 24.8% (73 of 294); PGY-5, 28.8% (109 of 379); and PGY-6, 11.1% (55 of 494). One of the highest continuity rates was observed in a rotation specifically constructed to enhance continuity of care.

Conclusions: The electronic health record can be used to track resident continuity of care in neurological surgery. The primary operating resident saw the patient in nonoperative settings, such as general admission, clinic visitation, or consultation in 20.6% (303 of 1469) of cases.