Undergraduate musculoskeletal examination teaching by trained patient educators--a comparison with doctor-led teaching

BACKGROUND: To compare the core hand and knee examination skills gained by undergraduates taught either by trained patient educators (PEs) or by doctors. METHODS: A total of 50 final year medical students were randomized to receive training from PEs or doctors. Group A were taught hand examination by a PE with rheumatoid arthritis, and knee examination by a PE with osteoarthritis. Group B was taught hand and knee examination by a consultant rheumatologist plus an untrained patient with appropriate signs. All students were taught an established core skills set in small group workshops. Students then undertook two validated objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) stations with two blinded assessors. Pre- and post-teaching questionnaires established the students' self-reported levels of skills (SRS) and a student evaluation of teaching (SET). The study was analysed as an equivalence trial. A mean difference in OSCE scores of 10% was assumed to be of educational significance. RESULTS: Although the SET scores of both groups were high, the doctor-led group received higher scores. Aside from this, the two student groups did not differ significantly. There were no significant differences in mean hand OSCE (mean difference = 0.88, P = 0.28, 95% CI = -0.73 to 2.49) or knee OSCE (mean difference = 0.28, P = 0.7, 95% CI = -1.19 to 1.75) scores. Both the upper and lower confidence intervals for each mean difference fell within the 10% range (-2.8 to 2.8 for the hand, and -2.5 to 2.5 for the knee) and equivalence was assumed. CONCLUSIONS: Adequately trained PEs can deliver clearly structured undergraduate skills, teaching with equivalent learning outcomes to those of rheumatology consultants. PEs are a valuable development to augment musculoskeletal education in the face of expanding student numbers.     

Primer: history and examination in the assessment of musculoskeletal problems

Musculoskeletal problems are very common, and clinical assessment is central to their appropriate management; however, many clinicians are not sufficiently competent to carry out this assessment. A standardized approach to the clinical assessment of a musculoskeletal problem is, therefore, necessary, whether the patient is presenting to primary care, rheumatology or orthopedics. Such a standardized approach gives a benchmark for this competency and can also be used as a teaching aid. As doctors become increasingly competent in clinical assessment and reach into training programs within musculoskeletal specialities, more detailed information will be required from the medical history of the patient, in addition to the use of special tests on clinical examination. These clinical skills need to be taught and also assessed.     

The role of patient organisations in musculoskeletal care

Better integration of patient organisations with health-care has been called for in policy statements by for example, the World Health Organization. Our aim was to describe the role of patient organisations in musculoskeletal care. We suggest that their work could be divided into three different fields of activities, that is, member benefits to satisfy individual needs, raised awareness to create better conditions for people with disability and the promotion of research to improve prevention, care and find a definite cure. Some scientific work exists to support that people with musculoskeletal conditions perceive a delay in information about patient organisations, that simple leaflets are effective in promoting such contacts and that they result in improved health behaviours. Furthermore, patient organisations may assist in improving health-care providers' education and skills training, and also support advocacy in political and societal issues with consequences for health-care practice. Mutual support and collaboration are thus encouraged.     

Musculoskeletal examination teaching in rheumatoid arthritis education: trained patient educators compared to nonspecialist doctors

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether students taught by trained patients acquire the same levels of competence in musculoskeletal examination skills as students taught by nonspecialist doctors. METHODS: Year 1 Graduate Medical Program (GMP) students (N = 25) at Hospital A were randomized to 8 tutorial groups, each comprising 3-4 students. Groups were taught hand and wrist examination skills by patient educators trained by the Searle Patient Partners in Arthritis program (patient partners). Students at Hospitals B and C (N = 12) remained in their normal tutorial groups, each comprising 3-4 students. Groups at Hospitals B and C were taught hand and wrist examination skills by doctors who had no specialized training in musculoskeletal medicine or orthopedics, with an untrained patient present. RESULTS: Students' mean self-ratings of examination skills before and students' patient partners, and consultants' mean ratings of students' examination skills after the tutorial were summed. Before the tutorial there were no significant differences in level of skill between students at Hospitals A, B, and C as measured by students' self-ratings. After the tutorial all students showed clear gains in levels of skill. Students taught by patient partners had higher levels of skill than those taught by doctors for 3 (p<0.01) and 4 (p<0.05) out of 14 examination skills and all 4 communication skills (p<0.05), as measured by both patient partners' and consultants' ratings. Students taught by doctors showed higher levels of skill for 2 observation skills, but these differences were not significant. CONCLUSION: Patient partners are either equal or superior to doctors not specifically trained in musculoskeletal medicine or orthopedics, in the teaching of musculoskeletal examination techniques and basic communication skills.     

Evaluation of the patient with erectile dysfunction: history, questionnaires, and physical examination

Historically the province of urologists and sex therapists, erectile dysfunction (ED) is now managed predominantly by primary care practitioners. In recognition of this trend, simplified assessment and treatment models have been proposed. These new treatment models strongly emphasize the need for sexual inquiry in all middle-age and older men but deemphasize the value of intensive medical or psychologic assessment in most cases. New management guidelines emphasize the need for a brief sexual and medical history, physical examination, and standard laboratory tests to rule out diabetes, dyslipidemia, or hypogonadism.     

Estimating the patient care costs of teaching in a teaching hospital

PURPOSE: Because leaders at medical schools and teaching hospitals need current data to estimate the clinical costs of graduate medical education, the authors developed a new methodology to estimate the hospital costs associated with the presence of teaching physicians for the year 2002. METHOD: A hospital accounting system was used to determine the case mix-adjusted direct variable costs for 41,522 inpatient admissions associated with or without a teaching physician. RESULTS: Prior to adjustment, teaching cases had greater median costs than non-teaching cases. After severity adjustment, teaching cases in aggregate were associated with an additional 4.4% of the total direct variable cost of inpatient admissions, or US 3.6 million dollars. The size of the teaching effect varied by service, ranging from -5.7% for medical services to 13 percent for behavioral services. The effect of teaching on cost centers such as laboratory, pharmacy, and radiology varied by specialty service. Teaching was associated with a negligible 0.7% relative difference in length of stay. CONCLUSION: The incremental effects of teaching on hospital patient care costs are modest. These analyses can be repeated annually to detect changes in teaching costs and to target areas of excessive cost for interventions that improve efficiency. Our results and methods for identifying hospital costs associated with teaching services may prove useful in negotiations between academic health centers and affiliated teaching hospitals.     

Clinical examination as a tool for identifying the origin of regional musculoskeletal pain

A knowledge of the physiopathology of the processing of noxious stimuli in regional musculoskeletal disorders is useful for an understanding of the clinical history.In regional musculoskeletal pain (RMP) the physiopathology of the pain may be separated into two main features. First, the nociceptive pain which results from the activation of nociceptors diffusely distributed among the anatomical structures in and around the joint, apart from the cartilage; the nociceptive pain has a protective role. Second, the abnormal impulses from a nervous tissue lesion give rise to a neuropathic pain which offers no biological advantage and is a maladaptive pain. This chapter describes the main physiological characteristics of these two kinds of pain. From these, in the majority of cases, the clinical history and the physical examination must specify the diagnosis of the RMP and localize the source of pain. Furthermore, the clinical characteristics permit diagnosis of different complex situations where these two types of pain are associated.     

How to assess musculoskeletal conditions. History and physical examination

Musculoskeletal conditions are common, their impact is pervasive and they are a major burden on health and social care. However, they are poorly managed because of lack of priority and inadequate competencies due to limited medical education in this spectrum of conditions. The ability to take a clear history and perform a competent examination are core skills to the appropriate management of musculoskeletal problems. This chapter outlines an approach that is followed by most specialists in rheumatology, orthopaedics or rehabilitation that can be used to teach other clinicians going into primary care or at the beginning of specialist training.