title: Supporting Medical Students' Pursuit of Longitudinal Patient Experiences: Piloting an Innovative Visit Notification Tool at the Massachusetts General Hospital.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Both medical educators and students have an increasing interest in longitudinal patient experiences (LPE) that allow students to work with patients at multiple points in time, often across multiple clinical settings. Despite this interest in LPE, following patients over time and across health systems remains a challenge.
  
  
  METHODS
  In August 2012-May 2013, with faculty support, two third-year medical students implemented a pilot program at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in the third-year block clerkship curriculum. One of the authors modified an existing novel, electronic visit notification tool (VNT) that integrates with the electronic medical record (EMR) to help students follow patients longitudinally. Students added patients to their cohort after obtaining the patient's verbal consent. Each week, the VNT sent students e-mails notifying them of all scheduled appointments for their cohort patients at all Partners HealthCare-affiliated sites.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Each pilot student added approximately 20 patients to her cohort and followed 3-5 patients consistently. The pilot students felt the VNT made it significantly easier to follow patients over time, their appreciation of chronic illness care developed, and they gained a greater understanding of the integrated nature of patient care.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  On the basis of student interest, the tool was made available to all MGH third-year students in March-May 2013 and offered to all MGH third-year students at the beginning of the next clinical year. Notification tools such as the VNT may enhance a hospital's existing EMR and facilitate longitudinal educational goals across all clinical clerkship models.
authors.affiliation: S.N. Elmore is a preliminary medicine intern, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts. K.E. Kopecky is a resident in general surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California. K. Jennings is chief information officer, Massachusetts General Hospital and Massachusetts General Physicians Organization, Boston, Massachusetts. M. de Moya is surgery clerkship director, Harvard Medical School, and medical director, Trauma Nurse Practitioner Program, Trauma, Emergency Surgery and Surgical Critical Care, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts. G. Beresin is executive director, Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds, senior educator, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, attending physician, Massachusetts General Hospital, and professor of psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts. D.E. Wright is clinical educator, Department of Medicine Clinical Educator Service, Massachusetts General Hospital, and instructor in medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Shekinah N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Elmore
authors.forename: Kimberly E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Kopecky
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jennings
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Moya
authors.forename: Gene
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Beresin
authors.forename: Douglas E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Wright
mesh_terms: D002982:Clinical Clerkship / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D003479:Curriculum; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate; D057286:Electronic Health Records; D034742:Electronic Mail; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006801:Humans; D008404:Massachusetts; D010865:Pilot Projects; D017010:Reminder Systems; D013337:Students, Medical