IOM wants more enforcement of 80 hour work week for medical residents

Though it may cost as much as $1.7 billion annually, the Institute of Medicine is calling for the current limits on medical students' hours be kept at 80. The IOM is also calling for 16-hour daily shift limits, unless a five hour continuous sleep break is provided, and even providing safe transportation home if a resident is too tired to drive him or herself. Finally, it also contends that work-limit violations are underreported, and calls for unannounced inspections to be performed more frequently. Article [1]