%0 Journal Article %@ 2818-3045 %I JMIR Publications %V 2 %N %P e60651 %T Understanding the Views of Health Care Professionals on the Usability and Utility of Virtual Reality Multidisciplinary Team Meetings: Usability and Utility Study %A Almashmoum,Maryam %A Payton,Antony %A Johnstone,Emily %A Cunningham,James %A Ainsworth,John %K knowledge sharing %K multidisciplinary team meetings %K artificial intelligence %K heuristic evaluation %K usability %K virtual reality %K VR %K simulation %K virtual environments %K digital environments %D 2025 %7 14.2.2025 %9 %J JMIR XR Spatial Comput %G English %X Background: Multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings are one of the facilitators that enhance knowledge sharing among health care professionals. However, organizing a face-to-face MDT meeting to discuss patient treatment plans can be time-consuming. Virtual reality software is widely used in health care nowadays to save time and protect lives. Therefore, the use of virtual reality multidisciplinary team (VRMDT) meeting software may help enhance knowledge sharing between health care professionals and make meetings more efficient. Objective: The objectives of this study were to introduce VRMDT software for enhancing knowledge sharing and to evaluate the feasibility and usability of the VRMDT for use by professionals in health care institutions. Methods: We invited participants from The University of Manchester Faculty for Biology, Medicine, and Health who had a health care background. As this was the first stage of software development, individuals who did not usually attend MDT meetings were also invited via email to participate in this study. Participants evaluated VRMDT using a Meta Quest 3 headset, and software developed using the Unity platform. The software contained an onboarding tutorial that taught the participants how to select items, load and rotate 3D Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine files, talk to a generative artificial intelligence–supported avatar, and make notes. After the evaluation (approximately 15 min), participants received an electronic survey using the Qualtrics survey tool (Qualtrics International Inc) to score the usability and feasibility of the software by responding to the 10-item system usability scale, and 12-point heuristic evaluation questions with Neilsen severity rating. Results: A total of 12 participants, including 4 health informatics, 3 with a nursing background, 2 medical doctors, 1 radiologist, and 2 biostatisticians, participated in the study. The most common age bracket of participants was 20‐30 years (6/12, 50%). Most of the respondents had no experience with virtual reality, either in educational or entertainment settings. The VRMDT received a mean usability score of 72.7 (range between 68 and 80.3), earning an overall “good” rating grade. The mean score of single items in the heuristic evaluation questionnaires was less than 1 out of 4 (the overall mean was 0.6), which indicates that only minor problems were encountered when using this software. Overall, the participant’s feedback was good with highlighted issues including a poor internet connection and the quality of the generative artificial intelligence response. Conclusions: VRMDT software (developed by SentiraXR) was developed with several functions aimed at helping health care professionals to discuss medical conditions efficiently. Participants found that the VRMDT is a powerful, and useful tool for enhancing knowledge sharing among professionals who are involved in MDT meetings due to its functionality and multiuser interactive environments. Additionally, there may be the possibility of using it to train junior professionals to interpret medical reports. %R 10.2196/60651 %U https://xr.jmir.org/2025/1/e60651 %U https://doi.org/10.2196/60651 %0 Journal Article %@ 1929-0748 %I JMIR Publications %V 14 %N %P e62726 %T Migration of Health Workers and Its Impacts on the Nigerian Health Care Sector: Protocol for a Scoping Review %A Omiyi,David %A Arubuola,Ebenezer %A Chilaka,Marcus %A Rahman Jabin,Md Shafiqur %+ Department of Medicine and Optometry, eHealth Institue, Linnaeus University, Pedalstråket 11, Kalmar, 392 31, Sweden, 46 764478587, mdshafiqur.rahmanjabin@lnu.se %K training and education %K health policy %K healthcare workforce %K policy interventions %K socio-political factors %K political instability %K workforce capacity %D 2025 %7 30.1.2025 %9 Protocol %J JMIR Res Protoc %G English %X Background: Health worker migration from Nigeria poses significant challenges to the Nigerian health care sector and has far-reaching implications for health care systems globally. Understanding the factors driving migration, its effects on health care delivery, and potential policy interventions is critical for addressing this complex issue. Objective: This study aims to comprehensively examine the factors encouraging the emigration of Nigerian health workers, map out the effects of health worker migration on the Nigerian health system, document the loss of investment in health training and education resulting from migration, identify relevant policy initiatives addressing migration, determine the effects of Nigerian health worker migration on destination countries, and identify the benefits and demerits to Nigeria of health worker migration. Methods: This study will follow the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology. A search strategy will retrieve published studies from MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, Global Health, Academic Search Premiere, and Web of Science. Unpublished studies will be sourced from dissertations and theses. A comprehensive search will involve keyword scans and citation searches. Exclusion criteria will filter out irrelevant studies, such as studies unrelated to the international migration of health workers and non-English language studies. A total of 2 independent reviewers will screen the titles and abstracts and then review the full text. Data will be extracted from the included studies using a data extraction tool developed for this study. The study selection process will be shown using a PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) flowchart. While the traditional risk of bias assessments is not applied to scoping reviews, the quality of included studies will be evaluated based on methodological transparency. Results: The process of selecting studies will be shown using a PRISMA ScR flowchart, and information gathering will be done through a charting table that has been prepared in advance. We plan to collect data from January 2025 to March 2025 and present the results to examine publication patterns and study details. The final summary is expected to be released by the summer of 2025. It will provide an in-depth look at how health worker migration impacts the health care sector in Nigeria. Conclusions: This study holds immense potential to contribute to understanding health worker migration from Nigeria and inform policy and practice interventions to address its challenges. By synthesizing existing evidence, the scoping review will guide future research and policy efforts to mitigate the adverse effects of migration on health care systems and workforce sustainability. Furthermore, the results will aid in recognizing deficiencies in the existing literature; this will offer a defined path for specific policy measures and methods to retain health care workers effectively and thus support the sustainability of health care systems. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): PRR1-10.2196/62726 %M 39883921 %R 10.2196/62726 %U https://www.researchprotocols.org/2025/1/e62726 %U https://doi.org/10.2196/62726 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/39883921 %0 Journal Article %@ 2561-326X %I JMIR Publications %V 9 %N %P e65561 %T Development of the Big Ten Academic Alliance Collaborative for Women in Medicine and Biomedical Science: “We Built the Airplane While Flying It” %A Iyer,Maya S %A Moe,Aubrey %A Massick,Susan %A Davis,Jessica %A Ballinger,Megan %A Townsend,Kristy %K collaborative %K gender equity %K women in medicine %K women in science %K biomedical science %K women %K women+ %K gender %K medicine %K university %K faculty %K accessibility %K career %K equity %K networking %K opportunity %K retaining %K programming %K Big Ten Academic Alliance %K BTAA %K academic alliance %D 2025 %7 23.1.2025 %9 %J JMIR Form Res %G English %X Women-identifying and women+ gender faculty (hereto described as women+ faculty) face numerous barriers to career advancement in medicine and biomedical sciences. Despite accumulating evidence that career development programming for women+ is critical for professional advancement and well-being, accessibility of these programs is generally limited to small cohorts, only offered to specific disciplines, or otherwise entirely unavailable. Opportunities for additional, targeted career development activities are imperative in developing and retaining women+ faculty. Our goal was the development of a new collaborative of Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA) institutions to support gender equity for women+ faculty in medicine and biomedical sciences, with two initial aims: (1) hosting an inaugural conference and establishing a foundation for rotation of conference hosts across BTAA schools, and (2) creating an infrastructure to develop programming, share resources, conduct environmental scans, and promote networking. In 2022, leaders from The Ohio State University College of Medicine Women in Medicine and Science envisioned, developed, and implemented a collaborative named CommUNITYten: The Big Ten Academic Alliance for Women in Medicine and Biomedical Science. Conference program development occurred through an iterative and collaborative process across external and internal task forces alongside industry partners. We developed a fiscal model to guide registration fees, budget tracking, and solicitation of conference funding from academic and industry sponsors. Attendees completed postconference surveys assessing speaker or workshop effectiveness and suggestions for future events. Finally, we developed an environmental scan survey to assess gender equity needs and existing programming across BTAA institutions. In June 2024, The Ohio State University hosted the inaugural CommUNITYten conference in Columbus, Ohio, featuring 5 keynote presentations, 9 breakout sessions, and networking opportunities across one and a half days of curated programming. Nearly 180 people attended, with representation from 9 BTAA institutions, 6 industry companies, staff, and trainees. Postconference surveys showed 50% (n=27) of respondents were likely to attend another in-person conference and suggested future conference topics. The environmental scan survey launched in October 2024. We successfully established the CommUNITYten collaborative and hosted the inaugural conference. Establishing key stakeholders from each BTAA institution, obtaining sponsorship, and detailed conference planning and partnerships were critical in ensuring realization of this collaborative. The conference brought together leaders, faculty, staff, trainees, and industry partners from across the country and met the initial goal of networking, sharing resources, and building community for women+ faculty. These efforts lay a robust foundation for the BTAA CommUNITYten collaborative to foster ongoing collaboration, innovation, and progress in the years to come. Given the importance of steady improvements, this viewpoint may further guide the efforts of other individuals, groups, and leadership supporting women+ as they consider approaches and strategies advocating for gender equity at the national level. %R 10.2196/65561 %U https://formative.jmir.org/2025/1/e65561 %U https://doi.org/10.2196/65561 %0 Journal Article %@ 1929-073X %I JMIR Publications %V 14 %N %P e55035 %T Student and Physician Views of How the Dobbs Decision Affects Training and Practice Location Preferences: Cross-Sectional Questionnaire Study %A Levy,Morgan S %A Bernstein,Simone A %A McNeilly,Sarah M %A Liberty,Abigail %A Fishbach,Shira %A Jain,Shikha %A Gold,Jessica A %A Arora,Vineet M %+ Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, 800 Rose Street, Lexington, KY, 40536, United States, 1 9733092423, morgan.levy4@gmail.com %K abortion %K physician workforce %K social media %K reproductive health %K medical education %K abortion access %K education %K survey study %K students %K training %K patient care %K care %K medical students %K human rights %K autonomy %D 2025 %7 7.1.2025 %9 Original Paper %J Interact J Med Res %G English %X Background: By allowing for abortion bans and restrictions to take effect in the majority of US states, the 2022 Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision portends to have lasting impacts on patient care and the physician workforce. Notably, it is already beginning to impact practice location preferences of US health care workers, evidenced by declining application rates to residency programs in abortion-restrictive states since 2022. Yet, there remains a gap in the literature regarding why this trend exists. Objective: This study aims to describe what factors are driving the practice location preferences of medical students and physicians after the Dobbs decision. Methods: This study analyzes qualitative data from a web-based, cross-sectional study. In August 2022, a nonprobabilistic sample of physicians and medical students were surveyed on social media about the impact of overturning Roe v Wade on practice location preferences, which included the free-text question “Please share your thoughts about the overturning of Roe v Wade and how it will affect your decision about your (residency/job or fellowship) programs.” A total of 3 independent team members completed an inductive thematic analysis of 524 free responses, resolving differences by discussion. Results: Approximately 1 in 4 survey respondents also completed the free-response item (524/2063, 25.4%); a total of 219 were medical students, 129 were residents and fellows, and 176 were practicing physicians. Of them, approximately half (261/524, 50.5%) resided in states where abortion bans were in place or anticipated. Those who answered the free-response item were relatively more likely to hail from states with restrictive abortion bans (P<.001) compared to those who did not, with other demographic characteristics being largely similar between the groups. Inductive thematic analysis yielded 2 broad thematic categories: patient-related and workforce-related factors influencing practice decision preferences. The 3 most common themes overall were respondent concerns regarding their patient’s access to care (249/524, 47.5%), their desire not to practice or train in a state with abortion restrictions regardless of current residence (249/524, 47.5%), and their personal belief that abortion bans are human rights and/or body autonomy violation (197/524, 37.6%). Some respondents stated that the Dobbs decision would not impact their choice of practice location (41/524, 7.8%), and some supported it (35/594, 6.7%). Conclusions: This study shows that abortion restrictions are having an impact on the practice location preferences of the physician workforce due to both patient care and personal factors. It is important that state policy makers and others who are considering abortion restrictions also consider how to address these concerns of physicians and medical students, to avoid worsening geographic maldistribution of physicians and worsening access to care from physicians for their citizens. %M 39773422 %R 10.2196/55035 %U https://www.i-jmr.org/2025/1/e55035 %U https://doi.org/10.2196/55035 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/39773422 %0 Journal Article %@ 1929-0748 %I JMIR Publications %V 13 %N %P e59621 %T Incentivizing Rural Work Preferences Among Specialist Physicians: Protocol for a Discrete Choice Experiment %A Joshi,Anushree %A Panchamia,Jallavi %A Pandya,Apurvakumar %+ Department of Health Policy, Management and Behavioral Science, Indian Institute of Public Health Gandhinagar, NH 147, Palaj Village, Opp. Air Force Headquarter, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, 382042, India, 91 9166052350, ajoshi@iiphg.org %K discrete choice experiment %K specialist physicians %K community health centers %K rural retention %K policy interventions %D 2024 %7 9.12.2024 %9 Protocol %J JMIR Res Protoc %G English %X Background: Retaining specialist physicians in rural parts of India poses a fundamental challenge, which affects the health care system’s functionality and provision of standard health care services. There has been an acute shortfall of specialist physicians in the fields of medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, and surgery at rural community health centers. This necessitates urgent policy focus to address the shortages and design effective rural retention strategies. In this study, which uses a discrete choice experiment (DCE), individuals choose from multiple-choice preferences that resemble hypothetical job descriptions. Objective: DCEs are a quantitative approach to assessing several aspects of job selection. This study aims to develop a detailed plan of a DCE method used to determine specialist physicians’ job choices. This protocol outlines the DCE method, which uses an exploratory sequential mixed methods research design to understand specialist physicians’ preferences and design reward packages that would effectively motivate them to work in underserved regions. Methods: The qualitative phase of the study involved identifying job attributes and their corresponding levels for the DCE. We followed a meticulous process, which included reviewing relevant literature, performing qualitative pilot work, conducting in-depth individual interviews, and consulting with medical and health experts. The quantitative phase involved generating a D-efficient orthogonal fractional factorial design using Ngene software to create choice scenarios using the identified job factors and their corresponding levels. The generated choice scenarios were blocked into 6 versions in 6 blocks. The DCE was undertaken among final-year postgraduate medical residents and specialist physicians from several health care facilities in Rajasthan. Various statistical models will be applied to explore the response variability and quantify the trade-offs that participants are willing to make for nonmonetary features as a substitute for adjustments in the monetary attribute. Results: After the ethics committee’s approval of the study, the qualitative data collection phase occurred from September to December 2021, while the quantitative phase took place from May to August 2022. Six attributes and 14 levels were identified and established through qualitative surveys. The experimental design resulted in 36 choice situations, which were grouped into 6 blocks. The preliminary investigation demonstrated that the instrument was valid and reliable. Statistical data analysis has been initiated, and the principal findings are expected to be disseminated in January 2025. Conclusions: The protocol provides a systematic framework to assess specialist physicians’ preferences regarding working in rural health care centers. This research has the potential to substantially influence the future of rural health care by laying the foundation for understanding specialist physicians’ choices, which will help design future incentive schemes, policy interventions, and research. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/59621 %M 39652867 %R 10.2196/59621 %U https://www.researchprotocols.org/2024/1/e59621 %U https://doi.org/10.2196/59621 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/39652867 %0 Journal Article %@ 2369-3762 %I JMIR Publications %V 10 %N %P e52924 %T A SIMBA CoMICs Initiative to Cocreating and Disseminating Evidence-Based, Peer-Reviewed Short Videos on Social Media: Mixed Methods Prospective Study %A Elhariry,Maiar %A Malhotra,Kashish %A Goyal,Kashish %A Bardus,Marco %A Team,SIMBA and CoMICs %A Kempegowda,Punith %+ Applied Health Sciences, School of Health Sciences, College of Medicine and Health, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom, 44 7721930777, p.kempegowda@bham.ac.uk %K influencers %K social media %K public engagement %K apps %K healthcare %K medical students %K online medical information %K simulation %K peer-reviewed information %D 2024 %7 30.10.2024 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Med Educ %G English %X Background: Social media is a powerful platform for disseminating health information, yet it is often riddled with misinformation. Further, few guidelines exist for producing reliable, peer-reviewed content. This study describes a framework for creating and disseminating evidence-based videos on polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and thyroid conditions to improve health literacy and tackle misinformation. Objective: The study aims to evaluate the creation, dissemination, and impact of evidence-based, peer-reviewed short videos on PCOS and thyroid disorders across social media. It also explores the experiences of content creators and assesses audience engagement. Methods: This mixed methods prospective study was conducted between December 2022 and May 2023 and comprised five phases: (1) script generation, (2) video creation, (3) cross-platform publication, (4) process evaluation, and (5) impact evaluation. The SIMBA-CoMICs (Simulation via Instant Messaging for Bedside Application–Combined Medical Information Cines) initiative provides a structured process where medical concepts are simplified and converted to visually engaging videos. The initiative recruited medical students interested in making visually appealing and scientifically accurate videos for social media. The students were then guided to create video scripts based on frequently searched PCOS- and thyroid-related topics. Once experts confirmed the accuracy of the scripts, the medical students produced the videos. The videos were checked by clinical experts and experts with lived experience to ensure clarity and engagement. The SIMBA-CoMICs team then guided the students in editing these videos to fit platform requirements before posting them on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter. Engagement metrics were tracked over 2 months. Content creators were interviewed, and thematic analysis was performed to explore their experiences. Results: The 20 videos received 718 likes, 120 shares, and 54,686 views across all platforms, with TikTok (19,458 views) and Twitter (19,678 views) being the most popular. Engagement increased significantly, with follower growth ranging from 5% on Twitter to 89% on TikTok. Thematic analysis of interviews with 8 out of 38 participants revealed 4 key themes: views on social media, advice for using social media, reasons for participating, and reflections on the project. Content creators highlighted the advantages of social media, such as large outreach (12 references), convenience (10 references), and accessibility to opportunities (7 references). Participants appreciated the nonrestrictive participation criteria, convenience (8 references), and the ability to record from home using prewritten scripts (6 references). Further recommendations to improve the content creation experience included awareness of audience demographics (9 references), sharing content on multiple platforms (5 references), and collaborating with organizations (3 references). Conclusions: This study demonstrates the effectiveness of the SIMBA CoMICs initiative in training medical students to create accurate medical information on PCOS and thyroid disorders for social media dissemination. The model offers a scalable solution to combat misinformation and improve health literacy. %M 39475500 %R 10.2196/52924 %U https://mededu.jmir.org/2024/1/e52924 %U https://doi.org/10.2196/52924 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/39475500 %0 Journal Article %@ 2369-3762 %I JMIR Publications %V 10 %N %P e64125 %T Psychological Safety Competency Training During the Clinical Internship From the Perspective of Health Care Trainee Mentors in 11 Pan-European Countries: Mixed Methods Observational Study %A Carrillo,Irene %A Skoumalová,Ivana %A Bruus,Ireen %A Klemm,Victoria %A Guerra-Paiva,Sofia %A Knežević,Bojana %A Jankauskiene,Augustina %A Jocic,Dragana %A Tella,Susanna %A Buttigieg,Sandra C %A Srulovici,Einav %A Madarasová Gecková,Andrea %A Põlluste,Kaja %A Strametz,Reinhard %A Sousa,Paulo %A Odalovic,Marina %A Mira,José Joaquín %+ Department of Health Psychology, Miguel Hernández University of Elche, Avenida de la Universidad s/n, Elche, 03202, Spain, 34 966658350, icarrillo@umh.es %K psychological safety %K speaking up %K professional competence %K patient safety %K education %K adverse event %D 2024 %7 7.10.2024 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Med Educ %G English %X Background: In the field of research, psychological safety has been widely recognized as a contributing factor to improving the quality of care and patient safety. However, its consideration in the curricula and traineeship pathways of residents and health care students is scarce. Objective: This study aims to determine the extent to which health care trainees acquire psychological safety competencies during their internships in clinical settings and identify what measures can be taken to promote their learning. Methods: A mixed methods observational study based on a consensus conference and an open-ended survey among a sample of health care trainee mentors from health care institutions in a pan-European context was conducted. First, we administered an ad hoc questionnaire to assess the perceived degree of acquisition or implementation and significance of competencies (knowledge, attitudes, and skills) and institutional interventions in psychological safety. Second, we asked mentors to propose measures to foster among trainees those competencies that, in the first phase of the study, obtained an average acquisition score of <3.4 (scale of 1-5). A content analysis of the information collected was carried out, and the spontaneity of each category and theme was determined. Results: In total, 173 mentors from 11 pan-European countries completed the first questionnaire (response rate: 173/256, 67.6%), of which 63 (36.4%) participated in the second consultation. The competencies with the lowest acquisition level were related to warning a professional that their behavior posed a risk to the patient, managing their possible bad reaction, and offering support to a colleague who becomes a second victim. The mentors’ proposals for improvement of this competency gap referred to training in communication skills and patient safety, safety culture, work climate, individual attitudes, a reference person for trainees, formal incorporation into the curricula of health care degrees and specialization pathways, specific systems and mechanisms to give trainees a voice, institutional risk management, regulations, guidelines and standards, supervision, and resources to support trainees. In terms of teaching methodology, the mentors recommended innovative strategies, many of them based on technological tools or solutions, including videos, seminars, lectures, workshops, simulation learning or role-playing with or without professional actors, case studies, videos with practical demonstrations or model situations, panel discussions, clinical sessions for joint analysis of patient safety incidents, and debriefings to set and discuss lessons learned. Conclusions: This study sought to promote psychological safety competencies as a formal part of the training of future health care professionals, facilitating the translation of international guidelines into practice and clinical settings in the pan-European context. %M 39374073 %R 10.2196/64125 %U https://mededu.jmir.org/2024/1/e64125 %U https://doi.org/10.2196/64125 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/39374073 %0 Journal Article %@ 2369-3762 %I %V 10 %N %P e53810 %T Time for Medicine and Public Health to Leave Platform X %A Timpka,Toomas %K internet %K social media %K medical informatics %K knowledge translation %K digital technology %K clinical decision support %K health services research %K public health %K digital health %K perspective %K medicine %D 2024 %7 24.5.2024 %9 %J JMIR Med Educ %G English %X For more than 50 years, digital technologies have been employed for the creation and distribution of knowledge in health services. In the last decade, digital social media have been developed for applications in clinical decision support and population health monitoring. Recently, these technologies have also been used for knowledge translation, such as in the process where research findings created in academic settings are established as evidence and distributed for use in clinical practice, policy making, and health self-management. To date, it has been common for medical and public health institutions to have social media accounts for the dissemination of novel research findings and to facilitate conversations about these findings. However, recent events such as the transformation of the microblog Twitter to platform X have brought to light the need for the social media industry to exploit user data to generate revenue. In this viewpoint, it is argued that a redirection of social media use is required in the translation of knowledge to action in the fields of medicine and public health. A new kind of social internet is currently forming, known as the “fediverse,” which denotes an ensemble of open social media that can communicate with each other while remaining independent platforms. In several countries, government institutions, universities, and newspapers use open social media to distribute information and enable discussions. These organizations control their own channels while being able to communicate with other platforms through open standards. Examples of medical knowledge translation via such open social media platforms, where users are less exposed to disinformation than in general platforms, are also beginning to appear. The current status of the social media industry calls for a broad discussion about the use of social technologies by health institutions involving researchers and health service practitioners, academic leaders, scientific publishers, social technology providers, policy makers, and the public. This debate should not primarily take place on social media platforms but rather at universities, in scientific journals, at public seminars, and other venues, allowing for the transparent and undisturbed communication and formation of opinions. %R 10.2196/53810 %U https://mededu.jmir.org/2024/1/e53810 %U https://doi.org/10.2196/53810 %0 Journal Article %@ 2369-3762 %I JMIR Publications %V 10 %N %P e50156 %T Measuring e-Professional Behavior of Doctors of Medicine and Dental Medicine on Social Networking Sites: Indexes Construction With Formative Indicators %A Marelić,Marko %A Klasnić,Ksenija %A Vukušić Rukavina,Tea %+ Andrija Štampar School of Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Rockfeller Street 4, Zagreb, 10000, Croatia, 385 14590126, tvukusic@snz.hr %K e-professionalism %K social media %K formative index %K social networking %K doctors %K medical %K dental medicine %D 2024 %7 27.2.2024 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Med Educ %G English %X Background: Previous studies have predominantly measured e-professionalism through perceptions or attitudes, yet there exists no validated measure specifically targeting the actual behaviors of health care professionals (HCPs) in this realm. This study addresses this gap by constructing a normative framework, drawing from 3 primary sources to define e-professional behavior across 6 domains. Four domains pertain to the dangers of social networking sites (SNSs), encompassing confidentiality, privacy, patient interaction, and equitable resource allocation. Meanwhile, 2 domains focus on the opportunities of SNSs, namely, the proactive dissemination of public health information and maintaining scientific integrity. Objective: This study aims to develop and validate 2 new measures assessing the e-professional behavior of doctors of medicine (MDs) and doctors of dental medicine (DMDs), focusing on both the dangers and opportunities associated with SNSs. Methods: The study used a purposive sample of MDs and DMDs in Croatia who were users of at least one SNS. Data collection took place in 2021 through an online survey. Validation of both indexes used a formative approach, which involved a 5-step methodology: content specification, indicators definition with instructions for item coding and index construction, indicators collinearity check using the variance inflation factor (VIF), external validity test using multiple indicators multiple causes (MIMIC) model, and external validity test by checking the relationships of the indexes with the scale of attitude toward SNSs using Pearson correlation coefficients. Results: A total of 753 responses were included in the analysis. The first e-professionalism index, assessing the dangers associated with SNSs, comprises 14 items. During the indicators collinearity check, all indicators displayed acceptable VIF values below 2.5. The MIMIC model showed good fit (χ213=9.4, P=.742; χ2/df=0.723; root-mean-square error of approximation<.001; goodness-of-fit index=0.998; comparative fit index=1.000). The external validity of the index is supported by a statistically significant negative correlation with the scale measuring attitudes toward SNSs (r=–0.225, P<.001). Following the removal of 1 item, the second e-professionalism index, focusing on the opportunities associated with SNSs, comprises 5 items. During the indicators collinearity check, all indicators exhibited acceptable VIF values below 2.5. Additionally, the MIMIC model demonstrated a good fit (χ24=2.5, P=.718; χ2/df=0.637; root-mean-square error of approximation<0.001; goodness-of-fit index=0.999; comparative fit index=1.000). The external validity of the index is supported by a statistically significant positive correlation with the scale of attitude toward SNSs (r=0.338; P<.001). Conclusions: Following the validation process, the instrument designed for gauging the e-professional behavior of MDs and DMDs consists of 19 items, which contribute to the formation of 2 distinct indexes: the e-professionalism index, focusing on the dangers associated with SNSs, comprising 14 items, and the e-professionalism index, highlighting the opportunities offered by SNSs, consisting of 5 items. These indexes serve as valid measures of the e-professional behavior of MDs and DMDs, with the potential for further refinement to encompass emerging forms of unprofessional behavior that may arise over time. %M 38412021 %R 10.2196/50156 %U https://mededu.jmir.org/2024/1/e50156 %U https://doi.org/10.2196/50156 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38412021 %0 Journal Article %@ 2561-326X %I JMIR Publications %V 8 %N %P e52414 %T Transfer of Knowledge on Pneumoconiosis Care Among Rural-Based Members of a Digital Community of Practice: Cross-Sectional Study %A Soller,Brian %A Myers,Orrin %A Sood,Akshay %+ Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, 1 University of New Mexico MSC 10 5550, Albuquerque, NM, 871310001, United States, 1 5052724751, asood@salud.unm.edu %K community of practice %K knowledge transfer %K pneumoconiosis %K telementoring %K rural health care %K transfer %K information %K rural %K virtual community %K lung diseases %K lung disease %K rural professionals %K rural professional %K multidisciplinary management %K multidisciplinary %K miners %K miner %K health equity %D 2024 %7 24.1.2024 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Form Res %G English %X Background: Given the re-emergence of coal workers’ pneumoconiosis in Appalachia and Mountain West United States, there is a tremendous need to train rural professionals in its multidisciplinary management. Since 2016, the Miners’ Wellness TeleECHO (Extension for Community Health Outcomes) Program held by the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, and Miners’ Colfax Medical Center, Raton, New Mexico, provides structured longitudinal multidisciplinary telementoring to diverse professionals taking care of miners by creating a digital community of practice. Program sessions emphasize active learning through discussion, rather than didactic training. Professional stakeholder groups include respiratory therapists, home health professionals, benefits counselors, lawyers or attorneys, clinicians, and others. Rural-urban differences in knowledge transfer in such a community of practice, however, remain unknown. Objective: We aim to evaluate the role of the rurality of the patient or client base in the transfer of knowledge to professionals caring for miners using the digital community of practice approach. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of 70 professionals participating in the Miners’ Wellness TeleECHO Program between 2018 and 2019. Drawing insights from social network analysis, we examined the association between the rurality of participants’ patient or client base and their self-reported receipt of knowledge. Our focal independent variable was the respondent’s self-reported percentage of patients or clients who reside in rural areas. We measured knowledge transfer sources by asking participants if they received knowledge regarding the care of miners during and outside of TeleECHO sessions from each of the other participants. Our dependent variables included the number of knowledge sources, number of cross-stakeholder knowledge sources, number of same stakeholder knowledge sources, and range and heterogeneity of knowledge sources. Results: Respondents, on average, identified 4.46 (SD 3.16) unique knowledge sources within the community, with a greater number of cross-stakeholder knowledge sources (2.80) than same stakeholder knowledge sources (1.72). The mean knowledge source range was 2.50 (SD 1.29), indicating that, on average, respondents received knowledge sources from roughly half of the 5 stakeholder groups. Finally, the mean heterogeneity of knowledge sources, which can range between 0 and 0.80, was near the midpoint of the scale at 0.44 (SD 0.30). Multivariable analyses revealed that as the rurality of patient or client bases increased, participants reported more knowledge sources overall, more knowledge sources from outside of their stakeholder groups, a higher knowledge source range, and greater heterogeneity of knowledge sources (P<.05 for all comparisons). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that participants who serve rural areas especially benefit from knowledge transfer within the TeleECHO community of practice. Additionally, the knowledge they receive comes from diverse information sources, emphasizing its multidisciplinary nature. Our results underscore the capacity of the TeleECHO model to leverage technology to promote rural health equity for miners. %M 38265861 %R 10.2196/52414 %U https://formative.jmir.org/2024/1/e52414 %U https://doi.org/10.2196/52414 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38265861 %0 Journal Article %@ 2369-3762 %I JMIR Publications %V 9 %N %P e52279 %T A Service-Learning Project Based on a Community-Oriented Intelligent Health Promotion System for Postgraduate Nursing Students: Mixed Methods Study %A Sun,Ting %A Xu,Xuejie %A Zhu,Ningning %A Zhang,Jing %A Ma,Zuchang %A Xie,Hui %+ School of Nursing, Bengbu Medical College, 2600 Donghai Road, Bengbu, Anhui, 233030, China, 86 0552 3178522, hui2122@hotmail.com %K service learning %K intelligent health promotion system %K scientific awareness %K research innovation ability %D 2023 %7 15.12.2023 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Med Educ %G English %X Background: Service learning (SL) is a pedagogical approach that combines community service with cognitive learning for professionals. Its efficacy in promoting community health has gained broad recognition in nursing education. The application of postgraduate nursing SL programs in community-based intelligent health remains underexplored. Thus, additional investigation is necessary to assess the influence of the SL project based on a community-oriented intelligent health promotion system (SLP-COIHPS) on postgraduate nursing students and health service recipients. Objective: This study aims to assess how SLP-COIHPS influences the scientific awareness and research innovation abilities of postgraduate nursing students. In addition, the study sought to examine the experiences of both participating students and health service recipients. Methods: We conducted a mixed methods investigation by using web-based surveys and conducting interviews. The web-based surveys aimed to explore the differences in scientific awareness and research innovation capabilities between 2 distinct groups: an experimental group of 23 postgraduate nursing students actively participated in SLP-COIHPS, while 23 postgraduate students (matched one-to-one with the experimental group in terms of grade, sex, and research methods) served as control participants. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 65% (15/23) of postgraduate students and 3% (12/405) of community residents who received health services, aiming to assess the project’s impact on them. The community-based intelligent health promotion system installed in intelligent health cabins can be conceptualized as an expert system providing valuable references for student health education. It has the capability to generate comprehensive assessments and personalized health guidance plans. Following training, students were involved in offering health assessments, health education, and related services. Subsequently, after the web-based surveys and semistructured interviews, quantitative data were analyzed using the SPSS (IBM Corp) software package, using 2-tailed t tests and Mann-Whitney U tests; qualitative data underwent analysis using the constructivist grounded theory approach. Results: Postgraduate nursing students participating in this program scored 12.83 (Cohen d>0.8; P<.001) and 10.56 (Cohen d>0.8; P=.004) points higher than postgraduate students in the control group in research awareness and research innovation capability, respectively. On the basis of the qualitative results, postgraduate students reported improvement in this program. Analysis of the interviews revealed a total of 12 subcategories across three primary domains: (1) specialized skills, (2) scientific research ability, and (3) comprehensive qualities. Community residents reported high satisfaction and positive experiences. Analysis of the interviews with community residents identified two primary categories: (1) satisfaction and (2) perceived benefits. Conclusions: SLP-COIHPS had a positive impact on students’ development of scientific awareness and research innovation ability. Qualitative study findings also support the further development of practical programs that integrate intelligent health and SL theories in the field of medical education. This includes exploring the potential factors influencing postgraduate nursing students’ research capabilities or investigating the long-term effects of the project. %M 38100207 %R 10.2196/52279 %U https://mededu.jmir.org/2023/1/e52279 %U https://doi.org/10.2196/52279 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38100207 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 25 %N %P e52509 %T System-Wide Change Is Essential to Value the Contributions of Women in Medicine and Science %A Jain,Shikha %A Allan,Jessica M %A Bhayani,Rakhee K %+ Department of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1740 W Taylor St, Chicago, IL, 60612, United States, 1 773 960 2567, sjain03@gmail.com %K women %K women physicians %K women scientists %K gender equity %K health care %K diversity %K leadership %K intersectionality %K minority tax %K gratitude tax %K glass ceiling %K glass cliff %K academia %K academic medicine %K hierarchy %K change %D 2023 %7 22.9.2023 %9 Editorial %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X The persistent and pervasive gender gap in health care is a fact backed by data, science, and evidence. This editorial aims to describe some of the challenges that continue to persist. Many of the strategies outlined can be implemented both locally and nationally to effect meaningful change and work toward closing the existing gender gap in health care. %M 37738082 %R 10.2196/52509 %U https://www.jmir.org/2023/1/e52509 %U https://doi.org/10.2196/52509 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37738082 %0 Journal Article %@ 2369-3762 %I JMIR Publications %V 9 %N %P e43190 %T Feasibility and Acceptability of a US National Telemedicine Curriculum for Medical Students and Residents: Multi-institutional Cross-sectional Study %A Bajra,Rika %A Frazier,Winfred %A Graves,Lisa %A Jacobson,Katherine %A Rodriguez,Andres %A Theobald,Mary %A Lin,Steven %+ Division of Primary Care and Population Health, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, 211 Quarry Road, Suite 405, MC 5985, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, United States, 1 650 725 7966, stevenlin@stanford.edu %K curriculum %K distance education %K graduate medical education %K telemedicine %K undergraduate medical education %D 2023 %7 8.5.2023 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Med Educ %G English %X Background: Telemedicine use increased as a response to health care delivery changes necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, lack of standardized curricular content creates gaps and inconsistencies in effectively integrating telemedicine training at both the undergraduate medical education and graduate medical education levels. Objective: This study evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of a web-based national telemedicine curriculum developed by the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine for medical students and family medicine (FM) residents. Based on the Association of American Medical Colleges telehealth competencies, the asynchronous curriculum featured 5 self-paced modules; covered topics include evidence-based telehealth uses, best practices in communication and remote physical examinations, technology requirements and documentation, access and equity in telehealth delivery, and the promise and potential perils of emerging technologies. Methods: A total of 17 medical schools and 17 FM residency programs implemented the curriculum between September 1 and December 31, 2021. Participating sites represented 25 states in all 4 US census regions with balanced urban, suburban, and rural settings. A total of 1203 learners, including 844 (70%) medical students and 359 (30%) FM residents, participated. Outcomes were measured through self-reported 5-point Likert scale responses. Results: A total of 92% (1101/1203) of learners completed the entire curriculum. Across the modules, 78% (SD 3%) of participants agreed or strongly agreed that they gained new knowledge, skills, or attitudes that will help them in their training or career; 87% (SD 4%) reported that the information presented was at the right level for them; 80% (SD 2%) reported that the structure of the modules was effective; and 78% (SD 3%) agreed or strongly agreed that they were satisfied. Overall experience using the national telemedicine curriculum did not differ significantly between medical students and FM residents on binary analysis. No consistent statistically significant relationships were found between participants’ responses and their institution’s geographic region, setting, or previous experience with a telemedicine curriculum. Conclusions: Both undergraduate medical education and graduate medical education learners, represented by diverse geographic regions and institutions, indicated that the curriculum was broadly acceptable and effective. %M 37155241 %R 10.2196/43190 %U https://mededu.jmir.org/2023/1/e43190 %U https://doi.org/10.2196/43190 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37155241 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 24 %N 10 %P e43383 %T Practical Considerations and Recommendations for “a Revised Hippocratic Oath for the Era of Digital Health” %A Hendricks-Sturrup,Rachele %A Nafie,Maryam %A Lu,Christine %+ Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy, 1201 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, 5th Floor, Washington, DC, 20004, United States, 1 202 621 2800, rachele.hendricks.sturrup@duke.edu %K digital health %K Hippocratic Oath %K eHealth %K ethics %K digital divide %D 2022 %7 26.10.2022 %9 Commentary %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X The Hippocratic Oath (the “Oath”) is a longstanding body of ethical tenets that have undergone several amendments to accommodate changes and evolutions in the practice of medicine. In their recent perspective entitled, “A Revised Hippocratic Oath for the Era of Digital Health,” Meskó and Spiegel offered proposed amendments to the Oath to address both challenges and needs that follow digital health implementation in clinical practice. In this commentary, we offer additional thoughts and considerations to Meskó and Spiegel’s proposed amendments to accomplish two goals: (1) reflect on the shared goals and values of all digital health stakeholders and (2) drive home the focus on affirming patient choice, autonomy, and respect. %M 36287597 %R 10.2196/43383 %U https://www.jmir.org/2022/10/e43383 %U https://doi.org/10.2196/43383 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/36287597 %0 Journal Article %@ 2369-3762 %I JMIR Publications %V 8 %N 3 %P e39794 %T Informatics in Undergraduate Medical Education: Analysis of Competency Frameworks and Practices Across North America %A Chartash,David %A Rosenman,Marc %A Wang,Karen %A Chen,Elizabeth %+ Center for Medical Informatics, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street Suite 501, New Haven, CT, 06511, United States, 1 203 737 5325, dchartas@ieee.org %K undergraduate medical education %K medical informatics %K curriculum %K medical education %K education %K North America %K framework %K clinical %K informatics %K Canada %K United States %K US %K teaching %K management %K cognitive %D 2022 %7 13.9.2022 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Med Educ %G English %X Background: With the advent of competency-based medical education, as well as Canadian efforts to include clinical informatics within undergraduate medical education, competency frameworks in the United States have not emphasized the skills associated with clinical informatics pertinent to the broader practice of medicine. Objective: By examining the competency frameworks with which undergraduate medical education in clinical informatics has been developed in Canada and the United States, we hypothesized that there is a gap: the lack of a unified competency set and frame for clinical informatics education across North America. Methods: We performed directional competency mapping between Canadian and American graduate clinical informatics competencies and general graduate medical education competencies. Directional competency mapping was performed between Canadian roles and American common program requirements using keyword matching at the subcompetency and enabling competency levels. In addition, for general graduate medical education competencies, the Physician Competency Reference Set developed for the Liaison Committee on Medical Education was used as a direct means of computing the ontological overlap between competency frameworks. Results: Upon mapping Canadian roles to American competencies via both undergraduate and graduate medical education competency frameworks, the difference in focus between the 2 countries can be thematically described as a difference between the concepts of clinical and management reasoning. Conclusions: We suggest that the development or deployment of informatics competencies in undergraduate medical education should focus on 3 items: the teaching of diagnostic reasoning, such that the information tasks that comprise both clinical and management reasoning can be discussed; precision medical education, where informatics can provide for more fine-grained evaluation; and assessment methods to support traditional pedagogical efforts (both at the bedside and beyond). Assessment using cases or structured assessments (eg, Objective Structured Clinical Examinations) would help students draw parallels between clinical informatics and fundamental clinical subjects and would better emphasize the cognitive techniques taught through informatics. %M 36099007 %R 10.2196/39794 %U https://mededu.jmir.org/2022/3/e39794 %U https://doi.org/10.2196/39794 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/36099007 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 24 %N 9 %P e39177 %T A Revised Hippocratic Oath for the Era of Digital Health %A Meskó,Bertalan %A Spiegel,Brennan %+ The Medical Futurist Institute, Povl Bang-Jensen u 2/B1 4/1, Budapest, 1118, Hungary, 36 703807260, berci@medicalfuturist.com %K hippocratic oath %K digital health %K eHealth %K future %K automation %K ethics %K viewpoint %K medical perspective %K physician perspective %K ethical %K digital divide %K artificial intelligence %K moral %D 2022 %7 7.9.2022 %9 Viewpoint %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Physicians have been taking the Hippocratic Oath for centuries. The Oath contains a set of ethical rules designed to guide physicians through their profession; it articulates a set of true north principles that govern the practice of medicine. The Hippocratic Oath has undergone several revisions, most notably in 1948 by the World Medical Association. However, in an era of rapid change in medicine, we believe it is time to update the Oath with modest but meaningful additions so that it optimally reflects 21st century health care. The rise of digital health has dramatically changed the practice of medicine in a way that could not have been easily predicted at the time Hippocrates outlined his ethical principles of medicine. Digital health is a broad term that encompasses use of digital devices and platforms, including electronic health records, patient-provider portals, mobile health apps, wearable biosensors, artificial intelligence, social media platforms, and medical extended reality, to improve the process and outcomes of health care delivery. These technologies have driven a cultural transformation in the delivery of care. We offer modest suggestions to help prompt discussion and contemplation about the current Oath and its relevancy to our changing times. Our suggestions are not meant to be a definitive set of final recommendations. Rather, we propose new text that bodies such as the World Medical Association might consider integrating into an updated Oath, just as previous changes were adopted to ensure the Oath remains relevant and impactful for all physicians and their patients. %M 36069845 %R 10.2196/39177 %U https://www.jmir.org/2022/9/e39177 %U https://doi.org/10.2196/39177 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/36069845 %0 Journal Article %@ 2561-9128 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 1 %P e34549 %T Worldwide Presence of National Anesthesia Societies on Four Major Social Networks in 2021: Observational Case Study %A Clavier,Thomas %A Occhiali,Emilie %A Guenet,Claire %A Vannier,Naurine %A Hache,Camille %A Compere,Vincent %A Selim,Jean %A Besnier,Emmanuel %+ Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Perioperative Medicine, Rouen University Hospital, 1 rue de Germont, Rouen, 76000, France, 33 288891733, thomasclavier76@gmail.com %K social network, social media %K anaesthesia %K society %K Facebook %K Twitter %K Instagram %K YouTube %D 2022 %7 20.7.2022 %9 Viewpoint %J JMIR Perioper Med %G English %X Background: Although the presence of medical societies on social networks (SNs) could be interesting for disseminating professional information, there is no study investigating their presence on SNs. Objective: The aim of this viewpoint is to describe the worldwide presence and activity of national anesthesia societies on SNs. Methods: This observational study assessed the active presence (≥1 post in the year preceding the collection date) of the World Federation of Societies of Anesthesiologists member societies on the SNs Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. We collected data concerning each anesthesia society on the World Federation of Societies of Anesthesiologists website. Results: Among the 136 societies, 66 (48.5%) had an active presence on at least one SN. The most used SN was Facebook (n=60, 44.1%), followed by Twitter (n=37, 27.2%), YouTube (n=26, 19.1%), and Instagram (n=16, 11.8%). The SN with the largest number of followers was Facebook for 52 (78.8%) societies and Twitter for 12 (18.2%) societies. The number of followers was 361 (IQR 75-1806) on Twitter, 2494 (IQR 1049-5369) on Facebook, 1400 (IQR 303-3058) on Instagram, and 214 (IQR 33-955) on YouTube. There was a strong correlation between the number of posts and the number of followers on Twitter (r=0.95, 95% CI 0.91-0.97; P<.001), Instagram (r=0.83, 95% CI 0.58-0.94; P<.001), and YouTube (r=0.69, 95% CI 0.42-0.85; P<.001). According to the density of anesthetists in the country, there was no difference between societies with and without active SN accounts. Conclusions: Less than half of national anesthesia societies have at least one active account on SNs. Twitter and Facebook are the most used SNs. %M 35857379 %R 10.2196/34549 %U https://periop.jmir.org/2022/1/e34549 %U https://doi.org/10.2196/34549 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/35857379 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 24 %N 5 %P e34302 %T A Virtual Community of Practice to Support Physician Uptake of a Novel Abortion Practice: Mixed Methods Case Study %A Dunn,Sheila %A Munro,Sarah %A Devane,Courtney %A Guilbert,Edith %A Jeong,Dahn %A Stroulia,Eleni %A Soon,Judith A %A Norman,Wendy V %+ Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto, 76 Grenville St, Toronto, ON, M5S 1B2, Canada, 1 416 323 6400 ext 4977, sheila.dunn@wchospital.ca %K mifepristone %K abortion %K community of practice %K virtual community of practice %K diffusion of innovation %K learning community %D 2022 %7 5.5.2022 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Virtual communities of practice (VCoPs) have been used to support innovation and quality in clinical care. The drug mifepristone was introduced in Canada in 2017 for medical abortion. We created a VCoP to support implementation of mifepristone abortion practice across Canada. Objective: The aim of this study was to describe the development and use of the Canadian Abortion Providers Support-Communauté de pratique canadienne sur l’avortement (CAPS-CPCA) VCoP and explore physicians’ experience with CAPS-CPCA and their views on its value in supporting implementation. Methods: This was a mixed methods intrinsic case study of Canadian health care providers’ use and physicians’ perceptions of the CAPS-CPCA VCoP during the first 2 years of a novel practice. We sampled both physicians who joined the CAPS-CPCA VCoP and those who were interested in providing the novel practice but did not join the VCoP. We designed the VCoP features to address known and discovered barriers to implementation of medication abortion in primary care. Our secure web-based platform allowed asynchronous access to information, practice resources, clinical support, discussion forums, and email notices. We collected data from the platform and through surveys of physician members as well as interviews with physician members and nonmembers. We analyzed descriptive statistics for website metrics, physicians’ characteristics and practices, and their use of the VCoP. We used qualitative methods to explore the physicians’ experiences and perceptions of the VCoP. Results: From January 1, 2017, to June 30, 2019, a total of 430 physicians representing all provinces and territories in Canada joined the VCoP and 222 (51.6%) completed a baseline survey. Of these 222 respondents, 156 (70.3%) were family physicians, 170 (80.2%) were women, and 78 (35.1%) had no prior abortion experience. In a survey conducted 12 months after baseline, 77.9% (120/154) of the respondents stated that they had provided mifepristone abortion and 33.9% (43/127) said the VCoP had been important or very important. Logging in to the site was burdensome for some, but members valued downloadable resources such as patient information sheets, consent forms, and clinical checklists. They found email announcements helpful for keeping up to date with changing regulations. Few asked clinical questions to the VCoP experts, but physicians felt that this feature was important for isolated or rural providers. Information collected through member polls about health system barriers to implementation was used in the project’s knowledge translation activities with policy makers to mitigate these barriers. Conclusions: A VCoP developed to address known and discovered barriers to uptake of a novel medication abortion method engaged physicians from across Canada and supported some, including those with no prior abortion experience, to implement this practice. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): RR2-10.1136/bmjopen-2018-028443 %M 35511226 %R 10.2196/34302 %U https://www.jmir.org/2022/5/e34302 %U https://doi.org/10.2196/34302 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/35511226 %0 Journal Article %@ 2369-3762 %I JMIR Publications %V 8 %N 2 %P e36948 %T Use of the CPD-REACTION Questionnaire to Evaluate Continuing Professional Development Activities for Health Professionals: Systematic Review %A Ayivi-Vinz,Gloria %A Bakwa Kanyinga,Felly %A Bergeron,Lysa %A Décary,Simon %A Adisso,Évèhouénou Lionel %A Zomahoun,Hervé Tchala Vignon %A Daniel,Sam J %A Tremblay,Martin %A Plourde,Karine V %A Guay-Bélanger,Sabrina %A Légaré,France %+ VITAM – Centre de Recherche en Santé Durable, Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et de Services Sociaux de la Capitale-Nationale, Université Laval, 2480 Chemin de la Canardière, Quebec, QC, G1J 2G1, Canada, 1 418 663 5919, France.Legare@mfa.ulaval.ca %K CPD-REACTION %K behavior %K intention %K education medical %K continuing %K health care professionals %K questionnaire %K web-based %K continuing professional development %D 2022 %7 2.5.2022 %9 Review %J JMIR Med Educ %G English %X Background: Continuing professional development (CPD) is essential for physicians to maintain and enhance their knowledge, competence, skills, and performance. Web-based CPD plays an essential role. However, validated theory–informed measures of their impact are lacking. The CPD-REACTION questionnaire is a validated theory–informed tool that evaluates the impact of CPD activities on clinicians’ behavioral intentions. Objective: We aimed to review the use of the CPD-REACTION questionnaire, which measures the impact of CPD activities on health professionals’ intentions to change clinical behavior. We examined CPD activity characteristics, ranges of intention, mean scores, score distributions, and psychometric properties. Methods: We conducted a systematic review informed by the Cochrane review methodology. We searched 8 databases from January 1, 2014, to April 20, 2021. Gray literature was identified using Google Scholar and Research Gate. Eligibility criteria included all health care professionals, any study design, and participants’ completion of the CPD-REACTION questionnaire either before, after, or before and after a CPD activity. Study selection, data extraction, and study quality evaluation were independently performed by 2 reviewers. We extracted data on characteristics of studies, the CPD activity (eg, targeted clinical behavior and format), and CPD-REACTION use. We used the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool to evaluate the methodological quality of the studies. Data extracted were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Student t test (2-tailed) for bivariate analysis. The results are presented as a narrative synthesis reported according to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. Results: Overall, 65 citations were eligible and referred to 52 primary studies. The number of primary studies reporting the use of CPD-REACTION has increased continuously since 2014 from 1 to 16 publications per year (2021). It is available in English, French, Spanish, and Dutch. Most of the studies were conducted in Canada (30/52, 58%). Furthermore, 40 different clinical behaviors were identified. The most common CPD format was e-learning (34/52, 65%). The original version of the CPD-REACTION questionnaire was used in 31 of 52 studies, and an adapted version in 18 of 52 studies. In addition, 31% (16/52) of the studies measured both the pre- and postintervention scores. In 22 studies, CPD providers were university-based. Most studies targeted interprofessional groups of health professionals (31/52, 60%). Conclusions: The use of CPD-REACTION has increased rapidly and across a wide range of clinical behaviors and formats, including a web-based format. Further research should investigate the most effective way to adapt the CPD-REACTION questionnaire to a variety of clinical behaviors and contexts. Trial Registration: PROSPERO CRD42018116492; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=116492 %M 35318188 %R 10.2196/36948 %U https://mededu.jmir.org/2022/2/e36948 %U https://doi.org/10.2196/36948 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/35318188 %0 Journal Article %@ 1929-073X %I JMIR Publications %V 11 %N 1 %P e33360 %T Learning Agility of Learning and Development Professionals in the Life Sciences Field During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Empirical Study %A Peng,XinYun %A Wang-Trexler,Nicole %A Magagna,William %A Land,Susan %A Peck,Kyle %+ Department of Learning and Performance Systems, Pennsylvania State University, 301 Keller Building, University Park, PA, 16802, United States, 1 4154201314, xypeng@psu.edu %K COVID-19 %K learning agility %K learning and development professionals %K life sciences professionals %K training and development %K mixed methods %D 2022 %7 26.4.2022 %9 Original Paper %J Interact J Med Res %G English %X Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the life sciences field worldwide. Life sciences organizations (eg, pharmaceutical and med-tech companies) faced a rapidly increasing need for vital medical products, patient support, and vaccine development. Learning and development (L&D) departments play a crucial role in life sciences organizations as they apply learning initiatives to organizational strategy within a constantly evolving sector. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the work of L&D professionals in life sciences organizations changed profoundly during the abrupt shift to remote work, since learning and training normally occur in a face-to-face environment. Given the complex and dynamic situation of the pandemic, both individuals and organizations needed to learn quickly and apply what they learned to solve new, unprecedented problems. This situation presents an opportunity to study how characteristics of learning agility were evidenced by life sciences organizations and individual employees in the remote working mode. Objective: In collaboration with Life Sciences Trainers & Educators Networks (LTEN), this study investigated the responses and learning agility of L&D professionals and their organizational leadership within the life sciences sector to the work changes due to the pandemic. The study answered the following questions: (1) How did L&D professionals in the life sciences sector respond to the changes in their work environment during the COVID-19 pandemic? (2) How did L&D professionals in the life sciences sector demonstrate learning agility during remote working? Methods: We adopted a mixed methods approach that included a semistructured interview and a survey. Participants who were life sciences or health care L&D practitioners and in relevant positions were recruited via email through the LTEN and its partner pharmaceutical, biotech, or medical devices organizations. Interviews with 12 L&D professionals were conducted between June and August 2020 through phone or online conferencing, covering 22 open-ended questions to stimulate ideas that could be explored further in the survey. The semistructured interview questions were grounded in theory on learning agility. In total, 4 themes were developed from the interviews, which formed the basis for developing the survey items. The subsequent survey regarding 4 specific themes was conducted from August to October 2020 using Qualtrics. Both interview and survey data were analyzed based on a learning agility framework. Results: Findings revealed generally positive organizational and individual responses toward the changes brought about by the pandemic. Results also indicated that a disruptive crisis, such as the shift from working in the office to working from home (WFH), required professionals’ learning agility to both self-initiate their own learning and to support the learning agility of others in the organization. Conclusions: This study was designed to better understand education and training in the life sciences field, particularly during the unique circumstances of the global COVID-19 pandemic. We put forward several directions for future research on the learning agility of L&D professionals in life sciences organizations. %M 35417403 %R 10.2196/33360 %U https://www.i-jmr.org/2022/1/e33360 %U https://doi.org/10.2196/33360 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/35417403 %0 Journal Article %@ 1929-0748 %I JMIR Publications %V 11 %N 4 %P e28625 %T Evidence for Continuing Professional Development and Recency of Practice Standards for Regulated Health Professionals in Australia: Protocol for a Systematic Review %A Main,Penelope %A Anderson,Sarah %+ Research and Evaluation Team, Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, GPO Box 9958, Adelaide, 5001, Australia, 61 416367536, penelope.main@ahpra.gov.au %K protocol %K systematic review %K continuing professional development %K continuing education %K recency of practice %K regulatory standards %K health practitioners %D 2022 %7 13.4.2022 %9 Protocol %J JMIR Res Protoc %G English %X Background: Continuing professional development (CPD) and recency of practice (ROP) standards are components of health practitioner regulation in Australia. The CPD and ROP standards are currently under review, and an evidence base to assist the development of consistent standards is required. Preliminary searching was unable to find a recent systematic review of the literature to provide an evidence base to underpin the standards review. Objective: This paper presents the protocol for a systematic review that aims to develop a current evidence base that will support the National Boards to develop more consistent, evidence-based, effective standards that are clear and easy to understand and operationalize. Methods: Research questions were developed to support the planned review of CPD and ROP registration standards. Major databases and relevant journals were searched for articles published in English between 2015 and 2021, using key search terms based on previous unpublished reviews of the CPD and ROP registration standards. The quality of the articles retrieved will be assessed using an instrument suitable for use in the development of public policy. The findings will be published in a peer-reviewed journal. Results: In September 2021, our search strategy identified 18,002 studies for the CPD-related research questions after removal of duplicates. Of these, 509 records were screened based on their title, and 66 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility based on their abstract, of which 31 met the inclusion criteria. A further 291 articles were identified as relevant to the ROP research questions. Of these, 87 records were screened based on their title, and 46 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility based on their abstract, of which 8 studies met our inclusion criteria. Conclusions: This protocol outlines the scope and methodology that will be used to conduct a systematic review of evidence for CPD and ROP and inform a review of the standards for regulated health professionals in Australia. Previous research has shown that while CPD improves practitioner knowledge, the link to public safety is unclear. While there has been a greater focus on maintenance of certification and other quality assurance activities over the past 10 years, there remains great variability in CPD requirements across both professions and jurisdictions. ROP was found to be a poorly researched area with most research concentrating on medical practitioners, nurses, and midwives and no clear consensus about the optimal time period after which retraining or an assessment of competence should be introduced. As the CPD and ROP standards are currently under review, it is timely that a review of current evidence be undertaken. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/28625 %M 35416788 %R 10.2196/28625 %U https://www.researchprotocols.org/2022/4/e28625 %U https://doi.org/10.2196/28625 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/35416788 %0 Journal Article %@ 2292-9495 %I JMIR Publications %V 9 %N 2 %P e33630 %T Evaluation of the First Year(s) of Physicians Collaboration on an Interdisciplinary Electronic Consultation Platform in the Netherlands: Mixed Methods Observational Study %A Sanavro,Sanne M %A van der Worp,Henk %A Jansen,Danielle %A Koning,Paul %A Blanker,Marco H %A , %+ Department of General Practice and Elderly Care Medicine, University of Groningen, PO Box 196, Groningen, 9700 AD, Netherlands, 31 50 3616731, sannesanavro@hotmail.com %K primary care %K digital consultation %K interdisciplinary %K specialist care %D 2022 %7 1.4.2022 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Hum Factors %G English %X Background: Complexity of health problems and aging of the population create an ongoing burden on the health care system with the general practitioner (GP) being the gatekeeper in primary care. In GPs daily practice, collaboration with specialists and exchange of knowledge from the secondary care play a crucial role in this system. Communication between primary and secondary care has shortcomings for health care workers that want to practice sustainable patient-centered health care. Therefore, a new digital interactive platform was developed: Prisma. Objective: This study aims to describe the development of a digital consultation platform (Prisma) to connect GPs with hospital specialists via the Siilo application and to evaluate the first year of use, including consultations, topic diversity, and number of participating physicians. Methods: We conducted a mixed methods observational study, analyzing qualitative and quantitative data for cases posted on the platform between June 2018 and May 2020. Any GP can post questions to an interdisciplinary group of secondary care specialists, with the platform designed to facilitate discussion and knowledge exchange for all users. Results: In total, 3674 cases were posted by 424 GPs across 16 specialisms. Most questions and answers concerned diagnosis, nonmedical treatment, and medication. Mean response time was 76 minutes (range 44-252). An average of 3 users engaged with each case (up to 7 specialists). Almost half of the internal medicine cases received responses from at least two specialisms in secondary care, contrasting with about one-fifth for dermatology. Of note, the growth in consultations was steepest for dermatology. Conclusions: Digital consultations offer the possibility for GPs to receive quick responses when seeking advice. The interdisciplinary approach of Prisma creates opportunities for digital patient-centered networking. %M 35363155 %R 10.2196/33630 %U https://humanfactors.jmir.org/2022/2/e33630 %U https://doi.org/10.2196/33630 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/35363155 %0 Journal Article %@ 2369-3762 %I JMIR Publications %V 8 %N 1 %P e23845 %T A Comprehensive COVID-19 Daily News and Medical Literature Briefing to Inform Health Care and Policy in New Mexico: Implementation Study %A Jarratt,LynnMarie %A Situ,Jenny %A King,Rachel D %A Montanez Ramos,Estefania %A Groves,Hannah %A Ormesher,Ryen %A Cossé,Melissa %A Raboff,Alyse %A Mahajan,Avanika %A Thompson,Jennifer %A Ko,Randy F %A Paltrow-Krulwich,Samantha %A Price,Allison %A Hurwitz,Ariel May-Ling %A CampBell,Timothy %A Epler,Lauren T %A Nguyen,Fiona %A Wolinsky,Emma %A Edwards-Fligner,Morgan %A Lobo,Jolene %A Rivera,Danielle %A Langsjoen,Jens %A Sloane,Lori %A Hendrix,Ingrid %A Munde,Elly O %A Onyango,Clinton O %A Olewe,Perez K %A Anyona,Samuel B %A Yingling,Alexandra V %A Lauve,Nicolas R %A Kumar,Praveen %A Stoicu,Shawn %A Nestsiarovich,Anastasiya %A Bologa,Cristian G %A Oprea,Tudor I %A Tollestrup,Kristine %A Myers,Orrin B %A Anixter,Mari %A Perkins,Douglas J %A Lambert,Christophe Gerard %+ Center for Global Health, Division of Translational Informatics, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, BRF #323A, MSC10-5550, 915 Camino de Salud NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, United States, 1 505 272 9709, cglambert@unm.edu %K COVID-19 %K pandemic %K daily report %K policy %K epidemics %K global health %K SARS-CoV-2 %K New Mexico %K medical education %D 2022 %7 23.2.2022 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Med Educ %G English %X Background: On March 11, 2020, the New Mexico Governor declared a public health emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The New Mexico medical advisory team contacted University of New Mexico (UNM) faculty to form a team to consolidate growing information on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and its disease to facilitate New Mexico’s pandemic management. Thus, faculty, physicians, staff, graduate students, and medical students created the “UNM Global Health COVID-19 Intelligence Briefing.” Objective: In this paper, we sought to (1) share how to create an informative briefing to guide public policy and medical practice and manage information overload with rapidly evolving scientific evidence; (2) determine the qualitative usefulness of the briefing to its readers; and (3) determine the qualitative effect this project has had on virtual medical education. Methods: Microsoft Teams was used for manual and automated capture of COVID-19 articles and composition of briefings. Multilevel triaging saved impactful articles to be reviewed, and priority was placed on randomized controlled studies, meta-analyses, systematic reviews, practice guidelines, and information on health care and policy response to COVID-19. The finalized briefing was disseminated by email, a listserv, and posted on the UNM digital repository. A survey was sent to readers to determine briefing usefulness and whether it led to policy or medical practice changes. Medical students, unable to partake in direct patient care, proposed to the School of Medicine that involvement in the briefing should count as course credit, which was approved. The maintenance of medical student involvement in the briefings as well as this publication was led by medical students. Results: An average of 456 articles were assessed daily. The briefings reached approximately 1000 people by email and listserv directly, with an unknown amount of forwarding. Digital repository tracking showed 5047 downloads across 116 countries as of July 5, 2020. The survey found 108 (95%) of 114 participants gained relevant knowledge, 90 (79%) believed it decreased misinformation, 27 (24%) used the briefing as their primary source of information, and 90 (79%) forwarded it to colleagues. Specific and impactful public policy decisions were informed based on the briefing. Medical students reported that the project allowed them to improve on their scientific literature assessment, stay current on the pandemic, and serve their community. Conclusions: The COVID-19 briefings succeeded in informing and guiding New Mexico policy and clinical practice. The project received positive feedback from the community and was shown to decrease information burden and misinformation. The virtual platforms allowed for the continuation of medical education. Variability in subject matter expertise was addressed with training, standardized article selection criteria, and collaborative editing led by faculty. %M 35142625 %R 10.2196/23845 %U https://mededu.jmir.org/2022/1/e23845 %U https://doi.org/10.2196/23845 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/35142625 %0 Journal Article %@ 2369-3762 %I JMIR Publications %V 8 %N 1 %P e28770 %T Distributed Autonomous Organization of Learning: Future Structure for Health Professions Education Institutions %A Cabrera,Daniel %A Nickson,Christopher P %A Roland,Damian %A Hall,Elissa %A Ankel,Felix %+ Department of Emergency Medicine, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN, 55902, United States, 1 5072842511, Cabrera.Daniel@mayo.edu %K blockchain %K multidisciplinary %K credentialing %K medical education %K health professionals %K education %K decentralization %K training %K curriculum %K instruction %D 2022 %7 4.1.2022 %9 Viewpoint %J JMIR Med Educ %G English %X Current health professions education (HPE) institutions are based on an assembly-line hierarchical structure. The last decade has witnessed the advent of sophisticated networks allowing the exchange of information and educational assets. Blockchain provides an ideal data management framework that can support high-order applications such as learning systems and credentialing in an open and a distributed fashion. These system management characteristics enable the creation of a distributed autonomous organization of learning (DAOL). This new type of organization allows for the creation of decentralized adaptive competency curricula, simplification of credentialing and certification, leveling of information asymmetry among educational market stakeholders, assuring alignment with societal priorities, and supporting equity and transparency. %M 34982722 %R 10.2196/28770 %U https://mededu.jmir.org/2022/1/e28770 %U https://doi.org/10.2196/28770 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34982722 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 23 %N 12 %P e34286 %T EpiHacks, a Process for Technologists and Health Experts to Cocreate Optimal Solutions for Disease Prevention and Control: User-Centered Design Approach %A Divi,Nomita %A Smolinski,Mark %+ Ending Pandemics, 870 Market Street, Suite 528, San Francisco, CA, 94102, United States, 1 6173591733, nomita@endingpandemics.org %K epidemiology %K public health %K diagnostic %K tool %K disease surveillance %K technology solution %K innovative approaches to disease surveillance %K One Health %K surveillance %K hack %K innovation %K expert %K solution %K prevention %K control %D 2021 %7 15.12.2021 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Technology-based innovations that are created collaboratively by local technology specialists and health experts can optimize the addressing of priority needs for disease prevention and control. An EpiHack is a distinct, collaborative approach to developing solutions that combines the science of epidemiology with the format of a hackathon. Since 2013, a total of 12 EpiHacks have collectively brought together over 500 technology and health professionals from 29 countries. Objective: We aimed to define the EpiHack process and summarize the impacts of the technology-based innovations that have been created through this approach. Methods: The key components and timeline of an EpiHack were described in detail. The focus areas, outputs, and impacts of the twelve EpiHacks that were conducted between 2013 and 2021 were summarized. Results: EpiHack solutions have served to improve surveillance for influenza, dengue, and mass gatherings, as well as laboratory sample tracking and One Health surveillance, in rural and urban communities. Several EpiHack tools were scaled during the COVID-19 pandemic to support local governments in conducting active surveillance. All tools were designed to be open source to allow for easy replication and adaptation by other governments or parties. Conclusions: EpiHacks provide an efficient, flexible, and replicable new approach to generating relevant and timely innovations that are locally developed and owned, are scalable, and are sustainable. %M 34807832 %R 10.2196/34286 %U https://www.jmir.org/2021/12/e34286 %U https://doi.org/10.2196/34286 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34807832 %0 Journal Article %@ 2369-3762 %I JMIR Publications %V 2 %N 2 %P e13 %T A Virtual Community of Practice for General Practice Training: A Preimplementation Survey %A Barnett,Stephen %A Jones,Sandra C %A Bennett,Sue %A Iverson,Don %A Robinson,Laura %+ General Practice Academic Unit, University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, Wollongong, 2522, Australia, 61 242214613, sbarnett@uow.edu.au %K medical informatics %K e-learning %K virtual communities of practice %D 2016 %7 18.08.2016 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Med Educ %G English %X Background: Professional isolation is an important factor in low rural health workforce retention. Objective: The aim of this study was to gain insights to inform the development of an implementation plan for a virtual community of practice (VCoP) for general practice (GP) training in regional Australia. The study also aimed to assess the applicability of the findings of an existing framework in developing this plan. This included ascertaining the main drivers of usage, or usefulness, of the VCoP for users and establishing the different priorities between user groups. Methods: A survey study, based on the seven-step health VCoP framework, was conducted with general practice supervisors and registrars—133 usable responses; 40% estimated response rate. Data was analyzed using the t test and the chi-square test for comparisons between groups. Factor analysis and generalized linear regression modeling were used to ascertain factors which may independently predict intention to use the VCoP. Results: In establishing a VCoP, facilitation was seen as important. Regarding stakeholders, the GP training provider was an important sponsor. Factor analysis showed a single goal of usefulness. Registrars had a higher intention to use the VCoP (P<.001) and to perceive it as useful (P<.001) than supervisors. Usefulness independently predicted intention to actively use the VCoP (P<.001). Regarding engagement of a broad church of users, registrars were more likely than supervisors to want allied health professional and specialist involvement (P<.001). A supportive environment was deemed important, but most important was the quality of the content. Participants wanted regular feedback about site activity. Regarding technology and community, training can be online, but trust is better built face-to-face. Supervisors were significantly more likely than registrars to perceive that registrars needed help with knowledge (P=.01) and implementation of knowledge (P<.001). Conclusions: Important factors for a GP training VCoP include the following: facilitation covering administration and expertise, the perceived usefulness of the community, focusing usefulness around knowledge sharing, and overcoming professional isolation with high-quality content. Knowledge needs of different users should be acknowledged and help can be provided online, but trust is better built face-to-face. In conclusion, the findings of the health framework for VCoPs are relevant when developing an implementation plan for a VCoP for GP training. The main driver of success for a GP training VCoP is the perception of its usefulness by participants. Overcoming professional isolation for GP registrars using a VCoP has implications for training and retention of health workers in rural areas. %M 27731864 %R 10.2196/mededu.5318 %U http://mededu.jmir.org/2016/2/e13/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mededu.5318 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27731864 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications Inc. %V 16 %N 7 %P e185 %T Virtual Communities of Practice: Overcoming Barriers of Time and Technology %A Walsh,Kieran %A Barnett,Stephen %+ BMJ Learning, Tavistock Square, London, WC1H 9JR, United Kingdom, 44 7985755333, kmwalsh@bmj.com %K medical education %K community of practice %K time %K technology %D 2014 %7 29.07.2014 %9 Letter to the Editor %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X %M 25090622 %R 10.2196/jmir.3400 %U http://www.jmir.org/2014/7/e185/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.3400 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25090622 %0 Journal Article %@ 14388871 %I JMIR Publications Inc. %V 16 %N 3 %P e83 %T Implementing a Virtual Community of Practice for Family Physician Training: A Mixed-Methods Case Study %A Barnett,Stephen %A Jones,Sandra C %A Caton,Tim %A Iverson,Don %A Bennett,Sue %A Robinson,Laura %+ General Practice Academic Unit, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, Wollongong, 2522, Australia, 61 42214613, sbarnett@uow.edu.au %K community of practice %K virtual community of practice %K general practice %K family physician %K training %K medical graduate %K education %K social media %D 2014 %7 12.03.2014 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: GP training in Australia can be professionally isolating, with trainees spread across large geographic areas, leading to problems with rural workforce retention. Virtual communities of practice (VCoPs) may provide a way of improving knowledge sharing and thus reducing professional isolation. Objective: The goal of our study was to review the usefulness of a 7-step framework for implementing a VCoP for general practitioner (GP) training and then evaluated the usefulness of the resulting VCoP in facilitating knowledge sharing and reducing professional isolation. Methods: The case was set in an Australian general practice training region involving 55 first-term trainees (GPT1s), from January to July 2012. ConnectGPR was a secure, online community site that included standard community options such as discussion forums, blogs, newsletter broadcasts, webchats, and photo sharing. A mixed-methods case study methodology was used. Results are presented and interpreted for each step of the VCoP 7-step framework and then in terms of the outcomes of knowledge sharing and overcoming isolation. Results: Step 1, Facilitation: Regular, personal facilitation by a group of GP trainers with a co-ordinating facilitator was an important factor in the success of ConnectGPR. Step 2, Champion and Support: Leadership and stakeholder engagement were vital. Further benefits are possible if the site is recognized as contributing to training time. Step 3, Clear Goals: Clear goals of facilitating knowledge sharing and improving connectedness helped to keep the site discussions focused. Step 4, A Broad Church: The ConnectGPR community was too narrow, focusing only on first-term trainees (GPT1s). Ideally there should be more involvement of senior trainees, trainers, and specialists. Step 5, A Supportive Environment: Facilitators maintained community standards and encouraged participation. Step 6, Measurement Benchmarking and Feedback: Site activity was primarily driven by centrally generated newsletter feedback. Viewing comments by other participants helped users benchmark their own knowledge, particularly around applying guidelines. Step 7, Technology and Community: All the community tools were useful, but chat was limited and users suggested webinars in future. A larger user base and more training may also be helpful. Time is a common barrier. Trust can be built online, which may have benefit for trainees that cannot attend face-to-face workshops. Knowledge sharing and isolation outcomes: 28/34 (82%) of the eligible GPT1s enrolled on ConnectGPR. Trainees shared knowledge through online chat, forums, and shared photos. In terms of knowledge needs, GPT1s rated their need for cardiovascular knowledge more highly than supervisors. Isolation was a common theme among interview respondents, and ConnectGPR users felt more supported in their general practice (13/14, 92.9%). Conclusions: The 7-step framework for implementation of an online community was useful. Overcoming isolation and improving connectedness through an online knowledge sharing community shows promise in GP training. Time and technology are barriers that may be overcome by training, technology, and valuable content. In a VCoP, trust can be built online. This has implications for course delivery, particularly in regional areas. VCoPs may also have a specific role assisting overseas trained doctors to interpret their medical knowledge in a new context. %M 24622292 %R 10.2196/jmir.3083 %U http://www.jmir.org/2014/3/e83/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.3083 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24622292 %0 Journal Article %@ 14388871 %I JMIR Publications Inc. %V 15 %N 5 %P e92 %T Perceptions of Family Physician Trainees and Trainers Regarding the Usefulness of a Virtual Community of Practice %A Barnett,Stephen %A Jones,Sandra C %A Bennett,Sue %A Iverson,Don %A Bonney,Andrew %+ General Practice Academic Unit, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, 2522, Australia, 61 2 4221 ext 4613, sbarnett@uow.edu.au %K community of practice %K virtual community of practice %K general practice %K family physician %K training %K education %K medical graduate %K social media %D 2013 %7 10.05.2013 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Training for Australian general practice, or family medicine, can be isolating, with registrars (residents or trainees) moving between rural and urban environments, and between hospital and community clinic posts. Virtual communities of practice (VCoPs), groups of people sharing knowledge about their domain of practice online and face-to-face, may have a role in overcoming the isolation associated with general practice training. Objective: This study explored whether Australian general practice registrars and their supervisors (trainers) would be able to use, and would be interested in using, a VCoP in the form of a private online network for work and training purposes. It also sought to understand the facilitators and barriers to intention to use such a community, and considers whether any of these factors may be modifiable. Methods: A survey was developed assessing computer, Internet, and social media access and usage, confidence, perceived usefulness, and barriers, facilitators, and intentions to use a private online network for training purposes. The survey was sent by email link to all 139 registrars and 224 supervisors in one of Australia’s 17 general practice training regions. Complete and usable responses were received from 131 participants (response rate=0.4). Results: Most respondents had access to broadband at home (125/131, 95.4%) and at work (130/131, 99.2%). Registrars were more likely to spend more than 2 hours on the Internet (P=.03), and to use social media sites for nonwork purposes (P=.01). On a 5-point Likert scale, confidence was high (mean 3.93, SD 0.63) and was negatively associated with higher age (P=.04), but not associated with training stage. Social media confidence was lower, with registrars more confident than supervisors for almost all social media activities. On a 5-point Likert scale, overall usefulness was scored positively (n=123, mean 3.63, SD 0.74), and was not significantly associated with age or training level. The main concerns of respondents were worries about privacy (registrar: 61/81, 75.3%; supervisor: 30/50, 60.0%) and insufficient time (registrar: 41/81, 50.6%; supervisor: 36/50, 72.0%). Using a multivariate generalized linear regression model, training stage and perceived usefulness were positively predictive, and concerns about privacy and time were negatively predictive of intention to use a private online network. Conclusions: General practice registrars and supervisors are interested in using a private online network, or VCoP, for work and training purposes. Important considerations are the extent to which concerns such as privacy and usefulness may be overcome by training and support to offset some other concerns, such as time barriers. Participants at an early stage in their training are more receptive to using an online network. More senior registrars and supervisors may benefit from more training and promotion of the online network to improve their receptiveness. %M 23666237 %R 10.2196/jmir.2555 %U http://www.jmir.org/2013/5/e92/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.2555 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23666237