Using electronic health data to deliver an adaptive online learning solution to emergency trainees: A pilot study (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Background: Electronic Medical Records (EMR) are a potentially rich source of information on an individual healthcare providers’ clinical activities. These data provide an opportunity to tailor online learning for healthcare providers to align closely with their practice. There is increasing interest in the use of EMR data to understand performance and support continuous and targeted education for healthcare providers. OBJECTIVE This objective of the study is to understand the feasibility and acceptability of harnessing EMR data to adaptively deliver an online learning program to early career doctors. METHODS The intervention consisted of an online microlearning program where content was adaptively delivered using an algorithm input with EMR data. The microlearning program content consisted of a library of questions covering topics related to best practice management of common emergency department presentations. Study participants were early career doctors undergoing training in emergency care. The study design involved three design cycles which iteratively changed aspects of the adaptive algorithm based on an end of cycle evaluation, in order to optimise the intervention. At the end of each cycle, an online survey and analysis of learning platform metrics were used to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the program. Within each cycle participants were recruited and enrolled in the adaptive program for six weeks, with new cohorts of participants in each cycle. RESULTS Across each cycle, all 75 participants triggered at least one question from their EMR data, with the majority triggering one question per week. The majority of participants in the study indicated the online program was engaging, and the content felt aligned with clinical practice. CONCLUSIONS The use of EMR data to deliver an adaptive online learning program for emergency trainees is both feasible and acceptable. However, further research is required on the optimal design of such adaptive solutions to ensure training is closely aligned with clinical practice. CLINICALTRIAL N/a