The Impact of a Regulation Restricting Medical House Staff Working Hours on the Quality of Patient Care

Abstract

These results suggest that restricted house staff working hours were associated with delayed test ordering by house staff and increased in-hospital complications. While these potentially deleterious effects on the quality of care did not result in statistically significant differences in more serious outcomes, further study at other hospitals is warranted to determine staffing strategies that optimize quality of care for patients, as well as medical education and quality of life for house officers.