Meta-Analysis Finds Innovative Educational Offerings Incorporating Patient Voice Are Effective in Improving Clinician Learning and Behavior
Bethesda, MD (PRWEB) January 04, 2017 -- CME Outfitters (CMEO), a leading accredited provider in continuing medical education, is excited to present its findings from a recent meta-analysis of four activities that incorporated audio responses from patients directly into the educational content. CMEO’s integration of the patient voice into the educational design had a clear, positive impact on activity participants, achieving effect sizes (ESs) of 1.22 for knowledge and .59 for behavior, compared to nonparticipant controls (moderate ES = .5, large ES = .8).
To achieve a distinct patient voice for educational interventions, CMEO partnered with WEGO Health to engage an advisory panel of patient advocates and influencers on social media – each with large peer networks in the therapeutic area of focus representing communities totaling nearly 24,000-40,000 patients with the disease highlighted in the activity. Interviews with these patient leaders consisted of questions developed in alignment with the activity learning objectives to gain patient insights and perspective into their care. Both audio and transcribed responses from the patient leader interviews were provided to faculty for review and discussion during the activities, and audio clips from patient leaders were integrated into the educational content.
To determine the overall effectiveness of this format, a meta-analysis was conducted, including four activities covering psoriasis, adult ADHD, epilepsy, and multiple sclerosis. For each activity, a 3-month follow-up survey assessing knowledge and practice behavior was administered to participants and controls. Effect sizes (ESs, based on Cohen’s d) reflecting group comparisons of knowledge and behavior responses were calculated for each activity, and an overall ES for each of knowledge and behavior were determined for the meta-analyses. Results showed an overall ES for knowledge of 1.22 and an ES of .59 for behavior (moderate ES = .5, large ES = .8). The qualitative success demonstrated by the meta-analyses was complemented by feedback from faculty members and participants. Said one faculty member, “Not long after hearing the comments from the patient interviews, I saw a patient who I asked the same question and was surprised to hear the consistency in the response.”
“A primary goal of CMEO is to ensure the patient becomes the focus of education,” said Jan Perez, CHCP, managing partner of CMEO. “If clinicians are unable to understand where the patients are coming from, it is hard to provide adequate care.” She continued to explain that treating patients with respect, hearing and valuing their concerns, and involving them in decisions about their care are the foundations of the National Quality Strategy Priorities and the “triple-aim” of improving care, health, and cost of care. The patients’ stories reflect struggles, challenges, and communication gaps between the patient and the HCPs that may become a barrier to optimal outcomes. By reaching out to the patients in the communities where they interact and giving them a seat at the educational design table, CMEO was able to gain the insights needed to generate some of the most patient-centered educational content available…and in the process, create some “light bulb” moments among clinicians that can lead to improved shared decision-making and patient-centered care.
“We harnessed the power of the patient leaders’ observations and analysis of their followers to create a patient collaboration with key opinion leaders [KOLs] to provide actionable education,” Perez said. “This alignment of patient KOLs and physician KOLs to marry evidence with best practices can truly drive and impact care – and that is a primary goal of CME Outfitters. It has been exciting to hear feedback from clinicians who have been able to immediately implement things they took away from a CMEO activity in their practices.”
To learn more about the unique CE activities offered by CME Outfitters, please visit http://www.CMEOutfitters.com.
About CME Outfitters, LLC
CME Outfitters develops and distributes live, recorded and web-based, outcomes- and evidence-based educational activities to thousands of clinicians each year and offers expert accreditation and outcome services for non-accredited organizations. CME Outfitters focuses on delivering education to specialty audiences, with strong expertise in neuroscience, inflammatory, infectious, and autoimmune diseases, and cardiovascular disease. For a complete list of certified activities and more information, visit http://www.cmeoutfitters.com or call 877.CME.PROS (877.263.7767).
“CME Outfitters …
Improving Clinical Behavior … One Change at a Time”
Anna Larkin, CME Outfitters LLC, 614-328-4529, [email protected]
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