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Abstract Number: 2398

Reaching the Masses: A Novel Approach to Pediatric Rheumatology Education Via Tele-Learning

J. Brian Shirley1, Fatima Gutierrez2, Eyal Muscal3, Andrea A. Ramirez1 and Jennifer A. Rama4, 1Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, 2Pediatric Hospital Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso Children's Hospital, El Paso, TX, 3Immunology, allergy and Rheumatology, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, 4Pulmonology, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX

Meeting: 2016 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting

Date of first publication: September 28, 2016

Keywords: educational innovation, educational research, pediatric rheumatology and technology

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Session Information

Date: Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Title: Pediatric Rheumatology – Clinical and Therapeutic Aspects - Poster III: Systemic JIA, Autoinflammatory Syndromes, Scleroderma, Vasculitis, Miscellaneous

Session Type: ACR Poster Session C

Session Time: 9:00AM-11:00AM

Background/Purpose: There is a dire need for pediatric rheumatologists in the US, as 11 states and several large cities are without these specialists. Likewise, 40% of pediatric residency programs lack pediatric rheumatology (PR). Thus pediatric residents insufficiently trained in PR may care for children with rheumatic disease. Telecommunication technology has helped close the geographic gap in delivery of health care, along with dissemination of distance learning. To address workforce shortage and bridge the knowledge gap in PR, we created a pilot PR tele-learning program sponsored by Baylor PR fellowship program for the pediatric residency at Texas Tech Univ. Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) in El Paso, TX.

Methods: TTUHSC has 44 pediatric residents and the freestanding children’s hospital serves a catchment area of 2.5 mil. inhabitants (El Paso–Juárez–Las Cruces). We conducted a needs assessment by completing structured interviews with a focus group of residents and pediatric faculty. Using the needs assessment results, and the American Board of Pediatrics content outline, we designed a six lecture curriculum consisting of high priority PR conditions, presented by a senior PR fellow (B.S.). The first two lectures, including interactive musculoskeletal assessment training were conducted in person. Subsequent lectures were given live via TeamViewer®, a computer-based application that is free to use with with a personal license. TeamViewer® transmits live video and PowerPoint using widely available computer infrastructure. Residents interacted with the presenter by answering case questions and open responses via text messaging with Poll Everywhere®. Residents completed lecture evaluations after each didactic session. Members from the initial focus group provided midway feedback on program success. 

Results: TeamViewer® was adequate in transmitting our tele-learning program and it was easy to use. Access to the lecture stream only required recipients to click an e-mail web link which connected the live feed automatically. Its limitation is primarily audio feed which was overcome by use of telephone connection. Mean response rate for evaluations was 74%. There was significant improvement in knowledge of all learning objectives compared to before the curriculum (Table 1). Residents indicated overall satisfaction with the PR tele-learning program (mean likert 4.8). Unintended outcomes included increase frequency of real patient consultations and greater resident interest in PR fellowship.

TABLE 1: Perceived level of knowledge based on lecture objectives (Likert scale 1-5)
Learning Objectives

Before (Mean)

After (Mean)

p

n

Diagnosis of jSLE

2.7

4

0.002

7

Laboratory testing for jSLE

2.7

4.1

0.002

7

General management of jSLE

2.6

4

0.004

7

When to use pGALS*

1.7

4.7

<0.001

26

How to perform pGALS*

1.6

4.7

<0.001

26

How to document pGALS*

1.6

4.5

<0.001

26

Clinical features of vasculitis

2.9

4.3

<0.001

23

Recognition and treatment of KD

3.1

4.6

<0.001

23

Disease course and refractory KD

2.8

4.4

<0.001

23

Different types of JIA*

2.1

4.3

<0.001

24

Limited role of labs to diagnose JIA*

2.1

4.2

<0.001

24

Complications of JIA*

2.4

4.3

<0.001

24

Primary care role for patients with JIA*

2.1

4.3

<0.001

24

Diagnosis of JDM

2.1

4.4

<0.001

28

Clinical features and complications of JDM

2.3

4.5

<0.001

28

Disease course and prognosis of JDM

2.2

4.4

<0.001

28

*Lecture given in person

Conclusion: The small PR workforce is inadequate to educate future pediatricians in many parts of the country. To help overcome this problem, we created a tele-learning program that is cost effective, satisfying to learners, generalizable to many locations and is scalable. Our tele-learning program is a novel educational intervention that enables PR divisions to reach beyond their locale and to stimualte resident interest in PR.


Disclosure: J. B. Shirley, None; F. Gutierrez, None; E. Muscal, None; A. A. Ramirez, None; J. A. Rama, None.

To cite this abstract in AMA style:

Shirley JB, Gutierrez F, Muscal E, Ramirez AA, Rama JA. Reaching the Masses: A Novel Approach to Pediatric Rheumatology Education Via Tele-Learning [abstract]. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2016; 68 (suppl 10). https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/reaching-the-masses-a-novel-approach-to-pediatric-rheumatology-education-via-tele-learning/. Accessed .
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