CU eLearning
Keywords
eLearning, virtual learning, continuing medical education, performance improvement activities, knowledge self-assessment, implementation guides, certificate programs, learning management system
Types of Research
Dissemination and implementation research; practice based research
Summary
Quite simply, our philosophy for delivering eLearning education centers on the idea that information is powerful. In the ever-changing landscape that is healthcare, clinicians and care teams can find it difficult to keep up best practices, payment and reimbursement requirements, and innovative quality improvement strategies. Regardless of role or position within a team, all staff and providers contribute to the patient care experience, the quality of care over time, and to the total cost of care. For this reason, our modules attend to the team approach and integrated, whole-patient care.
Our goal is to provide evidence-based, up-to-date information in an efficient and interesting way, so that healthcare learners and professionals in a wide variety of positions have the ability to improve patient care, job satisfaction, and costs. Each of our e-Learning modules presents topical information in a variety of formats and interactive methods. We present the latest research data and practical tips on how to apply the data to the day-to-day work of healthcare.
Significance
CU eLearning modules have been used by over 14,000 learners from around the world since 1999. Over 100 eLearning modules have been developed to enhance research grants on topics ranging from unhealthy alcohol use, behavioral health integration into primary care, and dental health integration, to name a few.
Impact
CU eLearning has impacted over 14,000 diverse learners from across the globe.
Translational Science Benefits Model* Benefits | ||
| Demonstrated: Benefits are those that have been observed and verifiable. Potential: Benefits are those logically expected with moderate to high confidence | ||
| Delivery of evidence-based guidelines for improving patient care on a variety of topics including unhealthy alcohol use, behavioral health integration, dental health integration, and Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias. Demonstrated |  | Therapeutic Procedures |
| CU eLearning is housed on a customized Learning Management System. Demonstrated | | Software Technologies |
| Quality of care is enhanced when patients receive evidence-based care from their primary care team. The CU eLearning modules emphasize actionable methods for improving clinic workflows and include quality improvement activities to improve patient care. Demonstrated |  | Health Care Quality |
| Many of the CU eLearning modules emphasize disease prevention and reduction strategies. Demonstrated | | Disease Prevention and Reduction |
| CU eLearning modules are available to healthcare learners across the U.S. and internationally. Demonstrated | | Community Health Services |
| Many primary care staff and clinicians report improved patient care as a result of completing CU eLearning modules, which may result in improved life expectancy and quality of life. Potential | | Life Expectancy and Quality of Life |
| Many primary care staff and clinicians report improved patient care as a result of completing CU eLearning modules, which may result in improvements in societal and financial costs of illness. Potential |  | Societal and Financial Costs of Illness |
| Several CU eLearning modules address improving the cost care delivering care. Potential | | Cost Effectiveness |
| CU eLearning modules are licensed by numerous healthcare organizations, including the American Board of Family Medicine. Demonstrated | | License Agreements |
| The effectiveness of CU eLearning modules has been published in several peer-reviewed publications. Demonstrated |  | Scientific Research Reports |
*The Translational Science Benefits Model is a framework designed to help public health and clinical scientists demonstrate the impact of their work in the real world. The Translational Science Benefits Model and Translating for Impact Toolkit © 2017-2023, created by the Institute of Clinical and Translational Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis and available at translationalsciencebenefitsmodel.wustl.edu, is licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0).
Health Equity Implications
Modules are used in a Title VI accredited program that promotes advance practice Medical Assistants to work in the city, town, or neighborhood they live in. In addition, many of the CU eLearning modules address culturally sensitive healthcare.
The goal of the Colorado Rural Healthcare Workforce Initiative, is to improve access to healthcare in rural Colorado by attracting and training physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, behavioral health, dentists, and other medical and dental staff who want to work in these underserved areas.
Lessons Learned
There is a strong need for interesting and interactive asynchronous learning opportunities for all types of learners.
Products
Presentations:- Jortberg, BT, PCMH e-Learning Curriculum for Family Medicine Residents and Faculty. WONCA Conference, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, November 2016.
- Jortberg, BT, How to Create a PCMH Curriculum: Results from the Colorado PCMH Project, STFM Annual Conference, Washington D.C., May 2018.
- Jortberg, BT, Assessment of the Patient Centered Medical Homeness in Residency Practices and Curricula: Are We Homes Yet? AAFP/STFM Practice Improvement Conference. Kansas City, MO (2009).
- Jortberg, BT, Building PCMH sustainability through training internal quality improvement leaders. AAFP/STFM Practice Improvement Conference. San Antonio, TX (2010).
- Jortberg, BT, Building Your PCMH: Project Management and Foundational Requirements 101. Society of Teachers of Family Medicine Annual Spring Conference. New Orleans, LA (2011).
- Jortberg, BT, The Starting Gate: Early Barriers to Patient Centered Medical Home Transformation in Family Medicine Residencies. Society of Teachers of Family Medicine Annual Spring Conference. New Orleans, LA (2011).
- Jortberg, BT, Curriculum Redesign for Teaching the PCMH in Colorado Family Medicine Residency Programs. Society of Teachers of Family Medicine Annual Spring Conference. Baltimore, MD (2013).
- Jortberg, BT, A Coaching/Facilitating Two for One: Engaging Physicians and Teams in QI Through MOC Part IV Achievement. International Conference on Practice Facilitation, Tampa, FL. (2018).
- Jortberg BT, Fernald DF, Dickinson LM, Coombs L, Deaner N, O.Neill C, deGruy F, Green L, Dickinson WP. Curriculum redesign for teaching the PCMH in Colorado family medicine residency programs, Fam Med 2014;46(1):11-8.
- Fernald DH, Hall T, Montgomery L, Hartman C, Jortberg BT, Buscaj E, King J, Dickinson LM, Dickinson WP. Colorado Residency PCMH Project: results from a 6-year transformation effort. Fam Med. 2019;51(7):578-86.