The Use of Telemedicine for Delivering Continuing Medical Education in Rural Communities

Abstract

Physicians in rural communities have limited access to continuing medical education (CME) opportunities. We hypothesized that CME could be delivered via a telemedicine network as effectively as in-person. Our institution delivers CME lectures and grand rounds in Burlington, Vermont, for in-person attendees, and also via a telemedicine network that links 14 hospitals in Vermont and rural northeastern New York. All participants complete an evaluation questionnaire to receive CME credit. We compared the questionnaire responses of those attending in person with those attending via the telemedicine network. From October 1, 2000 to June 30, 2003, there were 4733 CME sessions, 650 of which had both in-person and telemedicine attendees. Responses from these 650 sessions were compared. Most questions relating to lecture quality scored higher for in-person attendees. Compared to having the presenter in the room, telemedicine attendance was judged to be "more effective" in 19% (n = 334), "as effective" in 60%, (n = 1074), and "less effective" in 21% (n = 367). Eighteen percent of telemedicine attendees said they would have traveled to attend the session. Telemedicine-delivered CME was considered at least as effective as in-person CME 79% of the time. Travel was avoided for 18% of the remote attendees. CME was delivered where it would not have been obtained for 82% of the remote attendees. Telemedicine systems can be used to deliver CME, in spite of lower overall ratings compared to in-person attendance.

Tele-education vs classroom training of neonatal resuscitation: a randomized trial

“…15 Ricci et al have reported effectiveness of tele-education in training the health-care professional staying at distant sites. 16 Comparable results were obtained by Bertsch et al in education of medical students. 17 Limitations of training material and instructors can affect the transfer of knowledge and skill to trainees.…”

A framework for enhancing continuing medical education for rural physicians: A summary of the literature

“…Videoconferencing systems have experienced significant growth in recent years because of increased digital transmission options at reduced costs, vast improvements in video compression technologies, and improvements in the systems with an associated decrease in their cost. Several studies have Enhancing rural physician CME/CPD e503 demonstrated that CME/CPD videoconferencing is popular with rural physicians (Langille et al 1998;Davis & McCracken 2002;Klein et al 2005;Ricci et al 2005;Greenwood & Williams 2008), and is as effective, if not better, than faceto-face CME/CPD in increasing knowledge in a variety of clinical topic areas (Hampton et al 1994;Ricci et al 2005;Rossaro et al 2007;Miller et al 2008).…”

A comparison of tele-education versus conventional lectures in wound care knowledge and skill acquisition

“…Telemedicine could expand the educational tools available in rural areas and potentially allow the teaching of medical skills remotely. 2,3 However, there is little published information in which tele-education has been compared to conventional lecturing. 4 -9 The purpose of the present study was to determine if particular knowledge and wound management skills, including suturing, stapling and liquid tissue adhesive use, could be learned by novice paramedics as effectively via tele-education as by conventional face-to-face teaching.…”