Dartmouth-Hitchcock

Program Closure and Reduction Policy

Scope

The policy applies to all ACGME-accredited residency and fellowship programs at DHMC.

Purpose

1. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) requires that Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital, as the Sponsoring Institution of record, have a written policy that addresses a reduction in size or closure of a residency program or closure of the Institution.
2. To ensure appropriate institutional oversight as required by the ACGME Institutional Requirements.

Policy Guidelines

1. The senior leadership of the Sponsoring Institution in conjunction with the Department Chair, Program Director, Designated Institutional Official (DIO) and Graduate Medical Education Committee (GMEC) will make appropriate efforts to avoid the closure of ACGME-accredited programs.
2. The Sponsoring Institution must inform the GMEC, the DIO, and the affected residents within five (5) business days following a decision to reduce the size of or close one or more programs, or when the Sponsoring Institution itself intends to close.
3. In the event a decision is made that a training program must decrease in size:
   • The appropriate Department Chair and Program Director will inform the DIO, GMEC and the residents within five (5) business days of the decision.
   • The DIO and GMEC will be responsible for monitoring the complement reduction process.
   • Plans to reduce the complement of residents in the program will be made, where reasonable, by first reducing the number of positions available to incoming residents.
   • If the reduction needs to include residents currently in the training program, the Department Chair, Program Director and DIO will assist affected residents in enrolling in an ACGME-accredited
4. In the event a decision is made that a training program must close:
   • The appropriate Department Chair and Program Director will inform the DIO, GMEC and the residents within five (5) business days of the decision.
   • The DIO and GMEC will be responsible for monitoring the closure process.
   • The sponsoring institution will preferentially structure a closure, when reasonable, that allows enrolled residents to complete the program.
   • In the event a program must be closed before one or more residents are able to complete their training, the Department Chair, Program Director and DIO will work closely with the resident(s) to assist them in enrolling in an ACGME-accredited program(s) in which they can continue their education.

Related Policies and Reference Material

• ACGGME Institutional Requirements at: http://www.acgme.org/acWebsite/irc/irc_IRCpr07012007.pdf
• Specific sections applicable to this policy include II.D.5.a and II.D.5.b