Online faculty development for community health in Brazil

Abstract

Context and setting Our medical school is an isolated institution that runs undergraduate courses in both medicine and nursing. One of the disciplines of both courses focuses on the context of the patient (i.e. in terms of the patient’s community and family) and training takes place in family health care units (FHCUs). The medical school runs a programme for faculty development to enhance pedagogical concepts and facilitate the process of teaching–learning. The faculty development courses take place on campus during usual working hours; tutors from the FHCUs are considered part of faculty staff and can also enrol. In addition to the medical education content of the courses, faculty can also receive health care information. Why the idea was necessary The multi-professional teams working in FHCUs need to take part in faculty development courses, but work responsibilities prevent them from attending these courses during normal working hours. Online communication could solve this problem and it also fits in with the Ministry of Health plan to increase information technologies and tele-health capabilities throughout Brazil. What was done A unit was created by the school senate to support and promote institutional development, including faculty development courses, mainly by online education. Computer equipment was bought for all FHCUs in the city, using funds from a Ministry of Health grant to support curriculum change. Staff were trained to digitise content material from our library, such as slides and photographs. Teleduc, tri-language online, educational, free software from the State University of Campinas, was chosen and installed. Clinical case scenarios will be used to stimulate discussion among participants of online courses. The adult learning educational principles that apply to undergraduate courses will also apply to online courses. An analysis of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) by the emergency care unit (ECU) in our hospital identified the most prevalent diseases that can be managed at FHCU level. This was performed to show that consultations that are often carried out in the ECU can probably be treated at FHCU level. This analysis showed 7 such conditions in the 10 most commonly seen in the ECU: acute upper respiratory infections; normal pregnancy; pneumonia; diarrhoea and gastroenteritis; dorsalgia (back pain); anxiety disorders, and abdominal and pelvic pain. The other 3 of the 10 most common conditions seen in the ECU are: mental and behavioural disorders resulting from the use of alcohol; intracranial injury, and disorders of the conjunctiva. Using these data, a needs assessment was conducted among FHCU multi-professional staff and postgraduate residents. They viewed training in dealing with anxiety disorders as their primary need. Responses were received from 16 out of 30 preceptors and 19 out of 34 residents. A group of faculty and health professionals has formed a team to develop and implement the first online course. Evaluation of results and impact There is great interest among FHCU staff and residents in taking part in this project, as shown by the 77% who responded positively on the needs assessment. This project will allow multi-professional health care workers and residents to receive training without being onsite at campus and without leaving their own patients.