The Modified, Multi-patient Observed Simulated Handoff Experience (M-OSHE): Assessment and Feedback for Entering Residents on Handoff Performance.

Background: Despite the identification of transfer of patient responsibility as a Core Entrustable Professional Activity for Entering Residency, rigorous methods to evaluate incoming residents' ability to give a verbal handoff of multiple patients are lacking.

Aim: Our purpose was to implement a multi-patient, simulation-based curriculum to assess verbal handoff performance.

Setting: Graduate Medical Education (GME) orientation at an urban, academic medical center.

Participants: Eighty-four incoming residents from four residency programs participated in the study.

Program Description: The curriculum featured an online training module and a multi-patient observed simulated handoff experience (M-OSHE). Participants verbally "handed off" three mock patients of varying acuity and were evaluated by a trained "receiver" using an expert-informed, five-item checklist.

Program Evaluation: Prior handoff experience in medical school was associated with higher checklist scores (23% none vs. 33% either third OR fourth year vs. 58% third AND fourth year, p = 0.021). Prior training was associated with prioritization of patients based on acuity (12% no training vs. 38% prior training, p = 0.014). All participants agreed that the M-OSHE realistically portrayed a clinical setting.

Conclusions: The M-OSHE is a promising strategy for teaching and evaluating entering residents' ability to give verbal handoffs of multiple patients. Prior training and more handoff experience was associated with higher performance, which suggests that additional handoff training in medical school may be of benefit.