Virtual on par with face-to-face healthcare QI workshop during COVID-19 pandemic

The virtual interactive Blended Quality Improvement (QI) Workshop is as effective as the face-to-face programme based on learner’s views and gains in healthcare QI knowledge after the workshop, according to a Singapore study.

“The Blended QI Workshop is a programme designed to provide learners with basic tools and techniques in QI using a combination of e-learning and face-to-face classroom interactions,” the researchers said.

“To adapt to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) situation for safe social distancing since the end of January 2020, SingHealth Duke-NUS Institute for Patient Safety & Quality (IPSQ) suspended all face-to-face workshops. However, the need for effective QI training remains,” they added.

The researchers reviewed the curriculum and incorporated the use of interactive functions to redesign the workshop, which took place virtually via a video conferencing platform and added games, videos, an interactive polling, and a case study. Twenty-three learners attended the two pilot runs on 28 April 2020 and 22 May 2020.

A survey was performed to evaluate learners’ reactions and satisfaction with the training and preference in using video conferencing tools during disease and nondisease outbreak situations; quizzes were also used to examine learners’ QI knowledge. The researchers compared results between the original blended e-learning and face-to-face workshop that took place before the COVID-19 pandemic.

The gain in QI knowledge from virtual and from face-to-face Blended QI Workshops was statistically significant (n=86; p<0.01), but no statistically significant difference was noted in the gain in QI knowledge with both content delivery approaches (p=0.13). [Proc Singapore Healthc 2021;30:177-184]

All 23 learners (100 percent) agreed that the video conferencing platform was convenient, while 20 (87.0 percent) reported that the platform was effective in delivering content and 18 (78.3 percent) were eager to use video conferencing tools for QI workshops during disease outbreak situations.

“Challenges such as technical operating issues occurred during the workshop, temporarily disrupting teaching and learning flow,” the researchers said. “However, these issues were often resolved promptly, and learners were able to participate throughout the workshop without much disruption.”

Of note, nearly half (n=11; 47.8 percent) of learners preferred the use of interactive video conferencing to supplement face-to-face classroom-based Blended QI Workshops for nondisease outbreak situations.

“While it demonstrated that the virtual approach was useful for disease outbreak situations, learners felt that it could also be used in nondisease outbreak situations,” the researchers said. “The new norm of QI workshops will likely include a virtual form postpandemic.”

Previous meta-analyses of the effectiveness in telecourses showed that two-way communication was the best mode of interaction among trainers and learners. This finding was then incorporated into the current workshop. [Am J Distance Educ 2000;14:27-46]

Likewise, earlier studies reported that the addition of multimedia into the training content enriched teaching and improved learners’ satisfaction with the learning experience. [J Gen Intern Med 2004;19:698-707; Acad Med 2000;75:S47-S49]

“Earlier research in the 1990s where technology was less advanced suggested that the learning outcomes of distance learning were similar to those who attended traditional classroom,” the researchers said. [J Med Lib Assoc 2006;94:464-468]