Improving Workflow With a Task Buddy System in a Family Medicine Residency.

Introduction: Inbox management in outpatient primary care consumes a substantial amount of time, and residency training programs face unique challenges related to provider schedules. Long work hours, provider burnout, and worse patient outcomes can all be attributed to task management burden. Team-based care models can provide support through coverage systems and group inboxes. However, more empirical study of these systems may help to inform their implementation in interdisciplinary medical residency outpatient clinics.

Methods: The current study investigated the implementation of a "task buddy" system, which paired providers in teams to manage electronic health record (EHR) tasks. Data were collected on average task age and number of late tasks preimplementation, postimplementation, and 6 months postimplementation. Paired samples t tests were used to compare average task age for each task team. Participation was encouraged through a small monetary reward.

Results: A total of 23 resident physicians and 13 faculty from multiple disciplines participated. Our data demonstrated that the average age of tasks was more than 1 day lower with this system, but total late tasks did not improve.

Conclusions: The task buddy system resulted in quicker response time to complete tasks, but the number of late tasks stayed stagnant. Future studies should assess any correlation between improved patient outcomes with more efficient EHR task management. Additional studies across multiple residencies and specialties could better elucidate generalizability and provider perspectives of this pilot program.