Browsing by Author "Anderson, Katherine"

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    Flexibility in Faculty Work-Life Policies at Medical Schools in the Big Ten Conference: A Ten-Year Follow-up Study
    (Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., 2022) Wagner, Emily A.; Jansen, Jaclyn H.; DeLuna, Hannah; Anderson, Katherine; Doehring, Marla C.; Welch , Julie L.; Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine
    Background: Flexible work-life policies for medical school faculty are necessary to support career progress, advancement, retention, and job satisfaction. Objective: Our objective was to perform a 10-year follow-up descriptive assessment of the availability of flexible work-life policies for faculty in medical schools in the Big Ten Conference. Design: In this descriptive study, a modified objective scoring system was used to evaluate the flexibility of faculty work-life policies at 13 medical schools in the Big Ten Conference. Policy information was obtained from institutional websites and verified with the human resources offices. Scores from the 2011 study and 2020 were compared. Results: Michigan State and Ohio State Universities offered the most flexible policies (score 17.75/22) with the University of Michigan following (score 16.75/22). The largest delta scores, indicating more flexible policies in the past decade, were at University of Michigan (6) and University of Minnesota (5.25). Policies for parental leave and part-time faculty varied widely. Most schools earned an additional point in the newly added category of “flexible scheduling and return-to-work policies.” Nearly every institution reported dedicated lactation spaces and improved childcare options. Limitations: Limitations included missing policy data and interpretation bias in reviewing the policy websites, unavailable baseline data for schools that joined the Big Ten after the 2011 study, and unavailable baseline data for the additional category of return-to-work policies. Conclusions: While progress has been made, every institution should challenge themselves to review flexibility in work-life policies for faculty. It is important to advance a healthy competition with the goal to achieve more forward-thinking policies that improve retention, recruitment, and advancement of faculty. Big Ten institutions can continue to advance their policies by providing greater ease of access to options, further expansion of parental leave and childcare support, and offering more flexible policies for part-time faculty.
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    Pediatric emergency department use by Afghan refugees at a temporary housing facility
    (Wiley, 2023-04-17) Ulintz, Alexander; Anderson, Katherine; Shah, Ishani; Khan, Maria; Weinstein, Elizabeth; Peterson, Rachel; Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine
    Objectives: In August 2021, "Operation Allies Welcome" evacuated 76,000 Afghan refugees to 8 US temporary housing facilities. The impact of refugee influx on local emergency department (ED) use and the resources needed during resettlement are poorly described. We report the frequency of pediatric ED visits and characterize the ED resources needed by pediatric Afghan refugees from 1 temporary housing facility. Methods: This single-center, retrospective cohort study identified participants via a refugee identifier in the medical record. The primary outcome was the frequency and timing of pediatric ED visits; secondary outcomes included resources used during ED evaluation and management. Trained reviewers collected data using a predefined instrument and descriptive statistics are reported. Results: This study included 175 pediatric ED visits by Afghan refugees. The highest volumes (n = 73, 42%) occurred 3-5 weeks after evacuation. Common presenting complaints included fever (36%), gastrointestinal (15%), and respiratory (13%). Resources used included radiography (64%), lab testing (63%), and medication (78%). Specialist consultation occurred in 43% of visits; infectious diseases (17%) and neurology (15%) were the most common. Discharge (61%) was more common than admission (39%), though 31% of discharged patients had a repeat ED visit. Only 51% attended a recommended follow-up appointment. Conclusion: In this study, most pediatric ED visits by refugees occurred within 5 weeks of arrival. Most patients were discharged after diagnostic testing, medication, and specialist consultation, but repeat ED visits were common. These patterns have important implications in preparing for future mass displacement events.