MEMO - Minimizing Error, Maximizing Outcomes

Principal Investigator

Mark Linzer, MD

Site Directors

John Frey, MD
Mary Beth Plane, PhD
Julia E. McMurray, MD
Ann Maguire, MD, MPH
Mark Schwartz, MD
Anita Varkey, MD

Funding

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (grant no. 1 RO1 HS11955-01)

Supported by

Society of General Internal Medicine and American Academy of Family Physicians

A Joint Venture Between

Section of General Internal Medicine and Department of Family Medicine University of Wisconsin - Medical School

Abstract

MEMO is a three-year project designed to study the effect of healthcare work conditions on physician stress and satisfaction, and ultimately on the quality of care and medical errors.

The MEMO Study will begin to describe the relationship between work conditions, physician reactions to these conditions, and patient outcomes. Through focus groups and surveys, we will encourage physicians to "tell their stories" about their current practice environment. We ultimately hope to identify the workplace characteristics associated with low error rates and the best outcomes.