Saira Elaine Anwer Khan1, Muhammad Ahmed Saeed1,2, Shabnam Batool1, Sumaira Farman1,2, Nighat Mir Ahmad1,2, Sarfaraz A Hasni3. 1. Division of Rheumatology, Fatima Memorial Hospital (FMH) College of Medicine & Dentistry, Shadman, Lahore, Pakistan. 2. Department of Rheumatology, National Hospital & Medical Center, Lahore, Pakistan. 3. Lupus Clinical Research, National Institute of Arthritis, and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA. hasnisa@mail.nih.gov.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Pakistan has a population of over 200 million with only 75 trained rheumatologists. To address the needs of rheumatology care, it is of paramount importance to train the primary care physician as a first line of defense. METHODS: The project "Empowering Family Physicians; fighting disability" was the recipient of a 2018 ILAR grant. This project began with development of an evidence-based curriculum using ACR Rheum2learn modules along with guidelines from international societies. A blended learning approach was chosen with nine online learning modules sandwiched between two face-to-face sessions. Participants' assessment entailed quizzes, clinical scenarios, and portfolio development all completed online, while face-to-face sessions relied upon power-point presentations and an objective structured clinical examination. Course impact was assessed with pre-course and post-course questionnaires. Overall perception of the training was evaluated through candidate feedback. RESULTS: Participants were enrolled from across the country totaling 48 health care providers (44 family physicians and 4 allied health professionals). The adherence to face-to-face sessions was 82.5% and 63.6% for the online component. The mean score for post-course assessment (mean = 2.369, SD = 0.3425) was significantly higher than for the pre-course assessment (mean = 1.792, SD = 0.4838) with statistically significant difference of, t (12) = - 7.756, p < 0.0001 (confidence interval: - 0.7390 to - 0.4149). The perception of the strategy was positive with 80% strongly satisfied with the workshops and presentations. CONCLUSION: Empowering family physicians by training them in rheumatology care can be an effective tool to fight unmet needs in access to musculoskeletal health care. We plan to offer a shortened version of the course at regular intervals.Key Points• Pakistan has a huge shortage of rheumatology care with only 75 rheumatologists caring for a population of over 200 million.• To improve access to rheumatology care,the "Empowering Family Physicians; Fighting disability" course was launched in 2018 with the help of anILAR grant.• A blended learning approach comprising of 9 online modules sandwiched between two face-to-face sessions was chosen.• A statistically significant difference between pre- and post-courseself-assessment of participantssuggests that the courseis an effective tool for teaching Family Physicians.
INTRODUCTION: Pakistan has a population of over 200 million with only 75 trained rheumatologists. To address the needs of rheumatology care, it is of paramount importance to train the primary care physician as a first line of defense. METHODS: The project "Empowering Family Physicians; fighting disability" was the recipient of a 2018 ILAR grant. This project began with development of an evidence-based curriculum using ACR Rheum2learn modules along with guidelines from international societies. A blended learning approach was chosen with nine online learning modules sandwiched between two face-to-face sessions. Participants' assessment entailed quizzes, clinical scenarios, and portfolio development all completed online, while face-to-face sessions relied upon power-point presentations and an objective structured clinical examination. Course impact was assessed with pre-course and post-course questionnaires. Overall perception of the training was evaluated through candidate feedback. RESULTS:Participants were enrolled from across the country totaling 48 health care providers (44 family physicians and 4 allied health professionals). The adherence to face-to-face sessions was 82.5% and 63.6% for the online component. The mean score for post-course assessment (mean = 2.369, SD = 0.3425) was significantly higher than for the pre-course assessment (mean = 1.792, SD = 0.4838) with statistically significant difference of, t (12) = - 7.756, p < 0.0001 (confidence interval: - 0.7390 to - 0.4149). The perception of the strategy was positive with 80% strongly satisfied with the workshops and presentations. CONCLUSION: Empowering family physicians by training them in rheumatology care can be an effective tool to fight unmet needs in access to musculoskeletal health care. We plan to offer a shortened version of the course at regular intervals.Key Points• Pakistan has a huge shortage of rheumatology care with only 75 rheumatologists caring for a population of over 200 million.• To improve access to rheumatology care,the "Empowering Family Physicians; Fighting disability" course was launched in 2018 with the help of anILAR grant.• A blended learning approach comprising of 9 online modules sandwiched between two face-to-face sessions was chosen.• A statistically significant difference between pre- and post-courseself-assessment of participantssuggests that the courseis an effective tool for teaching Family Physicians.
Entities:
Keywords:
Family physicians; General practitioners; Online learning; Portfolio; Primary care physicians; Rheumatology
Authors: Damian G Hoy; Emma Smith; Marita Cross; Lidia Sanchez-Riera; Fiona M Blyth; Rachelle Buchbinder; Anthony D Woolf; Tim Driscoll; Peter Brooks; Lyn M March Journal: Ann Rheum Dis Date: 2014-06-09 Impact factor: 19.103
Authors: John D Reveille; Roberto Muñoz; Enrique Soriano; Miguel Albanese; Graciela Espada; Carlos Jose Lozada; Ruben Antonio Montúfar; Fernando Neubarth; Gloria M Vasquez; Michel Zummer; Rosa Sheen; Carlo V Caballero-Uribe; Carlos Pineda Journal: J Clin Rheumatol Date: 2016-12 Impact factor: 3.517
Authors: Jessica R Berman; Juliet Aizer; Anne R Bass; Irene Blanco; Anne Davidson; Edward Dwyer; Theodore R Fields; Wei-Ti Huang; Jane S Kang; Leslie D Kerr; Svetlana Krasnokutsky-Samuels; Deana M Lazaro; Julie S Schwartzman-Morris; Stephen A Paget; Michael H Pillinger Journal: Clin Rheumatol Date: 2015-11-20 Impact factor: 2.980