lifelong learning in medicine
With the growing number of patients and the data that accompanies each patient, it is surprising that physicians and other healthcare professionals have been slow to adopt institution wide cloud computing such as Electronic Health Records or Electronic Medical Records. Clinicians and IT managers see the value and the practicality of cloud computing but are reluctant due to privacy compliance detailed in PIPIDA (Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act) and jurisdictional PHI (Personal Health Information). Instead, many are waiting to see how it matures before making a commitment to cloud.
Healthcare providers may be slow to adopt institutional cloud computing, but have been adopting healthcare related mobile apps and using smartphones to provide better patient care. 38% of healthcare providers surveyed in the Healthcare IT Insights and Opportunities Study use a mobile medical app on a daily basis. They access mobile apps to share resources with patients, retrieve drug information or access evidence based treatments. If healthcare providers are already using mobile apps, it would not be a big leap for them to use their devices for lifelong education.
Physicians are required to obtain 40 credits of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) to comply with The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada Maintenance of Certification Program (MOC). The College offers a few MOC apps for the iphone such as the Emergency Medicine Springboard App or Pediatrics Springboard App. Physicians are already accessing mobile apps without knowing that they are even cloud based. Mobile cloud computing for CPD can provide solutions to healthcare providers who are busy and also skeptical about cloud computing but interested in the convenience of apps.
Below are some examples of mobile apps and continuing medical education specific cloud solutions:
Below are some examples of mobile apps and continuing medical education specific cloud solutions:
Lawrence Sherman on "Turning Medical Education Inside Out and Upside Down"
Things to think about...
Lawrence Sherman speaks about changing the way medical education is delivered, especially in lifelong learning. Patient centered care, throughout the curriculum and in professional development is key to better care and learning. Some aspects that Sherman talks about are:
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