Background

The study is part of a paediatric CPD program in Western Sweden, involving researchers and practitioners with expertise in medicine, informatics, and pedagogy. Based on previous experiences, the program provides a strong learning environment with extensive collaboration and networking among participants, while it is hard to maintain the collegial network and continue to share knowledge and experiences. Research has shown that new information technologies have potential to create learning opportunities and support reflection, collaboration and workplace learning. However, due to a history of IT-related problems in healthcare, where (despite documented benefits) many eHealth initiatives have failed in practice, health professionals are often less supportive towards such technologies. The research question is: How can IT be used for continuous learning and what are the implications of participatory design for the introduction of eHealth for workplace learning and use in clinical context?

Method

Inspired by participatory action research (PAR), the program is designed to offer a learning environment in which participants develop their paediatric and educational practices, as well as improve IT skills and digital competence needed as per today and in the future. In this new program a digital learning platform is introduced with the intention to contribute to formal course objectives but also to function as support for informal learning, networking and knowledge sharing during and after the CPD program, thus promoting long-term continuity of the educational outcomes. During the two-year course, the participants will develop a digital platform together with a Ph.D. student, for paediatric practice, present, and future learning as well as a web-based learning environment.

Outcome

The benefits of this project, where the focus is on eHealth as support for continuous learning, is for healthcare providers and physicians to be able to meet the demands and challenges for the future medical profession. The originality is that the digital platform in use is developed by the participants, integrated into the course and daily work and that the primary focus of the platform is to support continuous learning. This research is still in an initial stage (2016-2018), and findings are tentative. The project is linked to patient benefit, health professionals’ workplace learning, and continuous training. Children, carers or family members are not directly involved in this project, but the CPD program is built up around patient cases and focus on patient outcomes, in terms of improved safety and quality of care of the child.

Conclusion

There are potential difficulties recruiting paediatric educators to the program. This is addressed by supporting the participants in their role as educators and experts in outpatient paediatrics as well as regarding how IT could support not only learning a new subject or training skills but also learning how to learn. In summary, this project highlights the importance of interdisciplinary and practice-based research for continuous improvement and quality in healthcare, especially due to new demands following the patient-centric care and new role of patients, and sheds light on both benefits and challenges of integrating IT and learning in daily clinical work