Order writing
The Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology Program (CCEP) resident may write all orders on patients who are cared for by the electrophysiology service, as there are no other residents involved with these patients.
With regard to patients on other hospital services, the electrophysiology residents' order writing is restricted to preoperative and postoperative electrophysiology laboratory orders. Additional orders, for example for an urgent change in therapy, need to be discussed with the resident primarily caring for these patients. These residents, at their discretion, may allow the clinical cardiac electrophysiology resident to write selected orders.
Procedure log
Keeping a procedure log is an American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) requirement. Please utilize the uniform electronic template designed for all cardiology trainees. It should identify the patient's name and A#, date of procedure, type of procedure, any complications, and the supervising faculty member. It ultimately will become part of your file and will be periodically reviewed by the program director.
Quality assurance
All fellows participate in the medical center-wide quality assurance system.
Fellows are evaluated for both academic knowledge, technical competency, and patient care skills. Patient care skills include the fellow's ability to interact with other health care providers and medical center employees in a professional and productive manner on behalf of our patients. These evaluations are confidential and privileged and are coordinated by the Fellowship Program Director.
Complications from electrophysiologic procedures should be reported to the electrophysiology mid-level provider, who is keeping a database of complications. As complications from electrophysiology procedures are infrequent, the fellow should review these complications with the faculty member responsible for the procedure. Selected complications should be discussed with all the faculty at an electrophysiology case conference.
We are establishing a database for electrophysiologic outcomes as part of the Northern New England Cardiovascular Disease Study Group, and the fellow should assist in filling out data forms for every device implant and catheter ablation.