No abstract

No abstract

Background: Canadian distributed medical education (DME) increased substantially in the last decade, resulting in positive economic impacts to local communities. A reliable and simple method to estimate economic contributions is essential to provide managers with information on the extent of these impacts. This review paper fills a gap in the literature by answering the question: What are the most applicable quantitative methods to assess the economic impact of Canadian DME programs? Methods:The literature is reviewed to identify economic assessment methods. These are evaluated and compared based on the benefits, challenges, data needs, outputs and potential for use in the DME context. Results:We identified five economic impact methods used in similar contexts. Two of these methods have the potential for Canadian DME programs: the Canadian Input-Output (I-O) model and the Simplified American Council on Education (ACE) method. Conclusion:Choice of a method is contingent on the ability to measure the salient economic impacts, and provide an output that facilitates sustainable decision making. This paper thus fills a gap by identifying methods applicable Canadian Medical Education Journal 2018, 9(1), Special Issue e88 to DME. These methods will assist stakeholders to calculate economic impacts, resulting in both the advancement and sustainability of these programs over short-and long-term time frames.

Background: Regional medical campuses (RMCs) create positive economic impacts in communities and small cities. RMCs increase educational capacity, medical services, and address the shortage or maldistribution of physicians in rural areas. Our paper answers the question: How do you assess the economic impact of a RMC? Methods: The Canadian Input-Output (I-O) model and the Simplified American Council on Education (ACE) model are adapted to assess the economic impact of an individual RMC using a step-by-step process. The models are tested using data from three Canadian RMCs. Results: A comparison of the two models found similarities with data requirements and spreadsheet calculations. However, the Canadian I-O model spreadsheet is linked to Statistics Canada multipliers and calculations are more complex. Outputs are calculated for multiple economic variables. The Simplified ACE model, in contrast, uses a single multiplier and provides a single number by input category and a cumulative total of all impacts. Conclusion: Both models successfully assess economic impacts of RMC. The step-by-step process allows RMC administrators and others to understand the limitations of each model, but also facilitates an in-house economic assessment of RMC. The authors provide guidance on choosing the best model.

No abstract