The Medical Professionalism Blog

This week’s Recommended Reading includes new articles by ABIM staff and Foundation Trustees, along with a study of common professionalism “dilemmas”:

• In the latest issue of Health Affairs, ABIM staff members Elizabeth Bernabeo and Eric Holmboe outline the competencies needed by patients, providers, and systems to achieve patient-centered care.

• Also in Health Affairs, ABIM Foundation Trustee Elizabeth McGlynn and colleagues shared their findings from focus group discussions with consumers regarding health care costs. They found that, despite the necessity of cost-conscious health care, “the majority of participants were unwilling to consider costs when deciding between nearly comparable options and generally resisted the less expensive, marginally inferior option.”

• The authors of “Narrative, emotion and action: analysing ‘most memorable’ professionalism dilemmas” analyzed reports on memorable professionalism moments of nearly 700 medical students. They found that the vast majority of these moments were associated with negative emotions and involved professionalism dilemmas. They recommended that medical educators find ways for their students to process these negative experiences.