IMPLEMENTATION OF A GLOBAL REMOTE INTERPROFESSIONAL QUALITY IMPROVEMENT INITIATIVE: RESULTS OF A NEEDS ASSESSMENT CONDUCTED FOR A BALKAN LEARNING COLLABORATIVE

Abstract

TOPIC: Education, Research, and Quality Improvement TYPE: Original Investigations PURPOSE: Background: The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has created an urgent need for international collaboration and programs to rapidly share evolving medical knowledge and implementation strategies. Virtual programs offer a cost-effective option to provide meaningful engagement and disseminate best practices to remote locations with limited resources. A thorough understanding of the local practice needs is essential to design an effective quality improvement initiative. The purpose of this study was to conduct a novel learning needs assessment among an interprofessional group of Balkan healthcare professionals to better understand their current clinical challenges, interests, and opinions to inform a longitudinal remote education and quality improvement program. METHODS: We developed and performed a learning needs assessment with a group of interprofessional healthcare providers from Montenegro. This qualitative assessment was conducted in three phases using sequential explanatory design: 1) A board of intensivists and education experts developed 20 statements describing common critical care entrustable professional activities (EPAs) using a Delphi method. 2) Local healthcare providers rank-ordered these statements using Q Sort methodology, which were analyzed using by-person factor analysis. 3) A focus group interview was performed to understand the reasoning behind participant responses and analyzed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: 24 out of 63 participants answered the survey (response rate 38%). Most participants were grouped into one factor. Surveyed participants showed the highest interest in the evaluation and management of patients with shock, resuscitation, and stabilization of critically ill patients, and evaluation and management of common critical care infections. Moderate interest was expressed for procedural skills and the evaluation and management of the most common complications in the intensive care unit. Less common priorities were communication skills and interprofessional collaboration. The focus group interviewees agreed that they need improvement in a systemic approach, better protocols, and interprofessional collaboration and provided important insights into local practice constraints and cultural values. CONCLUSIONS: We describe an effective qualitative approach to conduct a remote needs assessment among an international, interprofessional group of healthcare professionals. This information has informed a tailored instructional design of our ongoing education and quality improvement initiative and has proved crucial to building cultural appreciation, trust, and an understanding of the expectations, needs, and implementation challenges of our Balkan participants. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Description of a novel learning needs assessment tool to help build a customized remote education and quality improvement initiative for an interprofessional group of critical care healthcare professionals from the Balkan. DISCLOSURES: No relevant relationships by Marija Bogojevic, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by Milan Bogojevic, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by Yue Dong, source=Web Response Patent/IP rights for a licensed product relationship with Ambient Clinical Analytics Please note: From 2016 Added 05/23/2021 by Ognjen Gajic, source=Web Response, value=Royalty No relevant relationships by Heyi Li, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by Alexander Niven, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by Zoja Stankovic, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by Simon Zec, source=Web Response