Rossaro Lorenzo, Tran Thu P, Ransibrahmanakul Kanat, Rainwater Julie A, Csik Genell, Cole Stacey L, Prosser Colette C, Nesbitt Thomas S
Department of Internal Medicine, University of California Davis Health System, Sacramento, California, USA.
Telemed J E Health. 2007 Jun;13(3):269-77. doi: 10.1089/tmj.2006.0050.
This study compared the impact of multipoint videoconferencing (VC) versus standard lecturing (ST) on primary care providers' (MDs, NPs/PAs, and RNs) education regarding hepatitis C virus (HCV). The hypothesis was that the educational impact of teaching through telemedicine is comparable to the traditional method. The aim was to provide participants clinically relevant information and knowledge about the natural history, diagnosis, and management of HCV. Improved knowledge was scored from a 10-item quiz administered before and after the educational intervention. Comparison of the pretest knowledge scores within provider groups showed no statistically significant difference in baseline knowledge for the ST versus VC method. However, for all practitioners combined, the VC group scored significantly lower on the pretest than the ST group (p < 0.05). All three types of learners improved their knowledge scores following intervention. On average, MDs and NP/PAs correctly answered two to 3.5 more questions in the posttest. RNs showed the greatest improvements, correctly answering an average of four to five more questions following intervention. Improvement in knowledge scores between the two methods was statistically significant in favor of VC for the MDs (VC = 3.56 +/- 1.92 vs. ST = 2.13 +/- 1.89, p < 0.001) and all groups combined (VC 4.37 +/- 1.92 vs ST 3.06 +/- 1.89, p < 0.001). The results of this study indicate that VC is equivalent, if not better, than standard continuing medical education (CME). VC can potentially improve clinician education regarding the history, diagnosis, and management of HCV, thereby making a substantial impact on the clinical course of patients with this condition. In addition, VC has the potential to eliminate the financial and geographic barriers to professional education for rural practitioners.
本研究比较了多点视频会议（VC）与标准授课（ST）对初级保健提供者（医生、执业护士/助理医师和注册护士）进行丙型肝炎病毒（HCV）教育的影响。假设是通过远程医疗教学的教育影响与传统方法相当。目的是为参与者提供有关HCV自然史、诊断和管理的临床相关信息和知识。通过教育干预前后进行的10项测验对知识的提高进行评分。提供者组内的预测试知识得分比较显示，ST与VC方法在基线知识方面无统计学显著差异。然而，对于所有从业者而言，VC组在预测试中的得分显著低于ST组（p < 0.05）。所有三种类型的学习者在干预后知识得分均有所提高。平均而言，医生和执业护士/助理医师在测试后正确回答的问题多了2至3.5个。注册护士的进步最大，干预后平均正确回答的问题多了4至5个。两种方法之间知识得分的提高在统计学上对医生（VC = 3.56 +/- 1.92 vs. ST = 2.13 +/- 1.89，p < 0.001）以及所有组的合并情况（VC 4.37 +/- 1.92 vs ST 3.06 +/- 1.89，p < 0.001）均显著有利于VC。本研究结果表明，VC即使不比标准继续医学教育（CME）更好，也与之相当。VC有可能改善临床医生对HCV病史、诊断和管理的教育，从而对患有这种疾病的患者的临床病程产生重大影响。此外，VC有可能消除农村从业者接受专业教育的财务和地理障碍。
