Medical Trauma on the Inpatient Medicine Service: Perspectives of Recently Hospitalized Patients, Residents, and the Interdisciplinary Care Team - Summary - MDSpire

Insights on Medical Trauma from Recently Admitted Patients, Residents, and the Interdisciplinary Care Team in Inpatient Medicine Services

  • By

  • Revika Singh

  • Ibrahim B. Mokhtar

  • Yashoswini Chakraborty

  • Uma Thachapuzha

  • Muriel Jean-Jacques

  • Aashish K. Didwania

  • Christine Schaeffer

  • Maria E. Theodorou

  • Rachel O’Conor

  • Marlise Jeanne Pierre-Wright

  • July 16, 2026

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Objective:

To examine how hospitalization contributes to or reinforces medical trauma and to explore care team perspectives on delivering trauma-informed care.

Approach:
  • Study Design: Conducted ten one-on-one interviews with recently hospitalized patients and two focus groups with resident physicians and interdisciplinary care team members.
  • Patient Recruitment: Patients were recruited from two clinical settings at a large urban academic medical center, focusing on those with high social determinants of health needs.
  • Data Collection: Interviews were guided by a protocol and assessed ACE exposure using the Philadelphia ACEs survey.
Key Findings:
  • Patients hospitalized on general internal medicine services often have complex trauma histories.
  • Medical trauma, distinct from other trauma types, is underexplored in adult populations.
  • Bias, stigma, and communication breakdowns in healthcare settings can exacerbate existing trauma.
Interpretation:

Understanding medical trauma from multiple perspectives is essential for refining trauma-informed interventions in inpatient settings.

Limitations:
  • Small sample size may limit generalizability.
  • Specific admission diagnoses were not tracked.
Conclusion:

The study highlights the need for improved trauma-informed care in inpatient settings, particularly for vulnerable populations.

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