The Impact of a Novel Coaching Program on Medical Errors and Well-Being of Physicians (CARE)

A Randomized Controlled Trial on The Impact of a Novel Coaching Program on Medical Errors, Clinical Reasoning, and Well-Being of Physicians, or the CARE (Coaching to Advance Resilience and Reduce Error) Study

This is a randomized controlled trial with a mixed method design to determine the impact of coaching on self-perceived medical errors, burnout, and resilience. The study team developed a novel coaching curriculum based in principles of positive psychology and self-reflection with the hypothesis that the coaching intervention will lead to decreased medical errors, decreased burnout, and increased resilience in trainee and faculty participants. Resident and fellow trainees as well as faculty members were recruited across departments and randomized to coaching or control. Faculty in the coaching arm were trained in coaching techniques and paired with a trainee coachee. Survey results as well as focus groups will be used to analyze the impact of the coaching program as compared to standard mentorship (control).

Residents and fellows paired with a faculty coach from the "faculty - treatment" arm to participate in up to 4 coaching meetings

Residents and fellows randomized to the control arm. They are not paired with a faculty coach and instead continue to receive standard mentorship as part of their training program.

Faculty members randomized to receive coaching training and are paired with a resident/fellow from the "trainees - treatment" arm to conduct up to 4 coaching sessions over the course of the academic year.

Faculty members randomized to control arm. They are not paired with a trainee from this study and instead continue to provide mentorship as they typically would, as part of their role at an academic medical center

A novel coaching curriculum based in positive psychology with an emphasis on self-reflection, goal setting and adverse event processing.

baseline (pre) compared to results at the end (post) of the coaching intervention, an average of 9 months

baseline (pre) compared to results at the end (post) of the coaching intervention, an average of 9 months

baseline (pre) compared to results at the end (post) of the coaching intervention, an average of 9 months

Self-perceived medical errors amongst faculty based on survey response. Specifically, faculty are asked "Do you think you may have made any medical error in the last 3 months? A medical error is the failure of a planned action to be completed as intended, or the failure of an unplanned action that should have been completed" with answer choices yes, no, and unsure.

baseline (pre) compared to results at the end (post) of the coaching intervention, an average of 9 months

Mechanism of change in burnout, resilience and medical errors in both trainees and faculty as compared to standard mentorship

Inclusion Criteria: Residents and fellows in a training program at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) faculty members at BIDMC