title: An Innovative Use of an Online Procedure Logbook to Improve Airway Training among Anesthesiology Residents.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We performed a single-institution pilot study to determine the potential value of an electronic logbook of airway procedures performed during a one month airway rotation for anesthesiology residents. For two years, CA-3 residents taking an advanced airway management rotation entered all airway procedures in this electronic logbook. We expected this logbook to produce results of potential use to program directors by determining the numbers of specific procedures performed by each resident.
  
  
  METHODS
  All residents taking this rotation were required to enter specific data from each airway procedure into our on-line electronic logbook. Entered information was available in tabular form to the program director and each resident. Numbers of procedures with each technique were compared among residents and to a previously determined target number of procedures for several techniques.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty seven residents entered data for nine specific airway procedures over a 24 month pilot study duration. When compared to target numbers of procedures for specific techniques, we discovered most residents performed less than 2 standard deviations from the target number with flexible fiberoptic intubation (usually exceeding the target number) but greater than 3 standard deviations with surgical and percutaneous procedures (usually falling short of the target number). Analysis also determined that resident experience exhibited considerable variability as shown by the ranges of several techniques. Though there was a wide range of numbers for most techniques, most were within two standard deviations of the mean values of the technique.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The authors conclude that this electronic logbook was easily administered at minimal cost and administrative effort. Future studies may confirm the logbook as a feasible intervention permitting anesthesiology training programs to in crease the breadth of data related to their resident airway education.
authors.affiliation: Associate Clinical Professor Anesthesiology, Director Airway Fellowship, Associate Director Generalist, Attending Physician, Montefiore Medical Center.
authors.forename: Tracey M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Straker
authors.affiliation: Attending Anesthesiologist, Oregon Anesthesiology Group.
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Metz
keywords: Airway management training; Clinical Assessment; Clinical Competency