Abstract

Background
Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre (Sunnybrook and Women's) is the amalgamation of three healthcare organizations, the Orthopaedic and Arthritic Hospital, Sunnybrook Health Science Centre and Women's College Hospital. It was created by a Special Act of Legislation (Bill 51) in June 1998 and is fully affiliated with the University of Toronto. The division of General Internal Medicine within the Department of Medicine consists of four medical teaching teams, each responsible for the care of patients admitted to their medical ward. At the end of each day, the primary inpatient house staff must transfer the care of their patients to the on-call team, a process referred to as "patient sign-out."