Use of the Consultation Letter Rating Scale among Geriatric Medicine Postgraduate Trainees. Issue 10 (15th August 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Xu, Victoria Y. Y.; Hamid, Jemila; von Maltzahn, Maia; Izukawa, Terumi; Norris, Mireille; Chau, Vicky; Liu, Barbara; Wong, Camilla L.
• Is Part Of: Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. Volume 67:Issue 10(2019)
• Page Start: 2157
• Page End: 2160
• Publication Date: 2019-08-15
• Subjects: competency‐based education -- assessment tool -- postgraduate education -- communication; Geriatrics -- Periodicals; 618.97
• DOI: 10.1111/jgs.16124
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0002-8614

Abstract

Abstract : OBJECTIVES: The implementation of competency‐based evaluations increases the emphasis on in‐training assessment. The Consultation Letter Rating Scale (CLRS), published by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, is a tool that assesses written‐communication competencies. This multisite project evaluated the tool's validity, reliability, feasibility, and acceptability for use in postgraduate geriatric medicine training. METHODS: Geriatric medicine trainees provided consultation letters from the 2017‐2018 academic year. Geriatricians reviewed a standardized module and completed the tool for all the deidentified letters. The reviewers recorded the time used to complete the tool for each letter and completed a survey on content validity. Trainees completed a survey on the tool's usefulness. Responses were reviewed independently by two authors for thematic content. The unweighted and the weighted κ were used to measure interrater reliability. RESULTS: A total of 10 of 11 (91%) eligible trainees each provided five letters that were reviewed independently by six geriatricians, leading to a total of 300 assessments. A very small portion (4% [N = 12]) of assessments was incomplete. An average of 4.82 minutes (standard deviation = 3.17) was used to complete the tool. There was high interrater agreement for overall scores, with a multiple‐rater weighted κ of 83% (95% confidence interval = 76%‐89%). The interrater agreement was lower for the individual components. Both raters and trainees found the comments more useful than the numerical ratings. CONCLUSIONS: Our results support the use of the CLRS for facilitating feedback on the quality of consult letters to improve written‐communication competencies among geriatric medicine trainees. J Am Geriatr Soc 67:2157–2160, 2019