This case study illustrates another approach to the systems based care competency, and also addresses the professionalism competency. How does the care delivery team address an integrated response to five chronic diseases: diabetes, COPD, asthma, heart failure and hypertension? The authors offer a modality based on a "team care" approach and the liberal use of social work professionals to assist with follow up and support.

The attached poster was presented at the American Academy of Internal Medicine program in Anaheim in October 2011 by Rebecca Andrews, MD and Steven Angus, MD, Department of Medicine, University of Connecticut Health Center. Challenger recognizes outstanding poster presentations as part of its ongoing educational mission.

The ACGME continues to illuminate the systems based care competency. An increasingly important topic in this sphere is patient handoffs. The practical impact of training with respect to patient handoffs is improvement in the continuity of care. Evidence from the Institute of Medicine and many other sources indicates that errors, lapses in treatment, and malpractice risks all increase when the care delivery system engages more than one provider.

The attached poster was presented at the American Academy of Internal Medicine program in Anaheim in October 2011 by Mueller et al. An expanded version was subsequently published in the American Journal of Medicine in January 2012. Challenger recognizes outstanding poster presentations as part of its ongoing educational mission.