Abstract
BackgroundVirtual communities of practice (vCoPs) facilitate online learning via the exchange of experiences and knowledge between interested participants. Compared to other communities, vCoPs need to overcome technological structures and specific barriers. Our objective was to pilot the acceptability and feasibility of a vCoP aimed at improving the attitudes of primary care professionals to the empowerment of patients with chronic conditions.MethodsWe used a qualitative approach based on 2 focus groups: one composed of 6 general practitioners and the other of 6 practice nurses. Discussion guidelines on the topics to be investigated were provided to the moderator. Sessions were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was performed using the ATLAS-ti software.ResultsThe available operating systems and browsers and the lack of suitable spaces and time were reported as the main difficulties with the vCoP. The vCoP was perceived to be a flexible learning mode that provided up-to-date resources applicable to routine practice and offered a space for the exchange of experiences and approaches.ConclusionsThe results from this pilot study show that the vCoP was considered useful for learning how to empower patients. However, while vCoPs have the potential to facilitate learning and as shown create professional awareness regarding patient empowerment, attention needs to be paid to technological and access issues and the time demands on professionals. We collected relevant inputs to improve the features, content and educational methods to be included in further vCoP implementation.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02757781. Registered on 25 April 2016.
Highlights
Virtual communities of practice facilitate online learning via the exchange of experiences and knowledge between interested participants
We developed a Virtual Community of Practice (vCoP) named e-MPODERA, a pun combining the terms “empower” and “e-learning techniques”, aimed at improving primary care professionals’ attitudes to the empowerment of patients with chronic conditions
Learning Objective B: To improve familiarity with the concepts of empowerment B1: To identify the dimensions of patient empowerment and skills related for applying them B2: To know the taxonomy related to patient empowerment B3: To know characteristics and theoretical and conceptual approach of initiatives that work on patient empowerment B4: To know new models and paradigms of patient-health professional relationships
Summary
Virtual communities of practice (vCoPs) facilitate online learning via the exchange of experiences and knowledge between interested participants. A CoP, coined as a term in the 1990s [4], is, according to Wenger [5] “not just a website, a database, or a collection of best practices It is a group of people who interact, learn together, build relationships, and in the process develop a sense of belonging and mutual commitment”. A CoP differs from other types of groups in that support takes the form of formal and informal interactions between members and that the emphasis is on voluntary participation, shared learning and knowledge and the fostering of a sense of belonging [5]. While CoPs have largely developed in the business and education areas, they are increasingly being used in the health sector [6,7,8,9,10]
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