scholarly journals Virtual Patient Simulations in Health Professions Education: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis by the Digital Health Education Collaboration

10.2196/14676 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (7) ◽  
pp. e14676 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrzej A Kononowicz ◽  
Luke A Woodham ◽  
Samuel Edelbring ◽  
Natalia Stathakarou ◽  
David Davies ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Health Education ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Health Professions ◽  
Virtual Patient ◽  
Health Professions Education ◽  
Patient Simulations

scholarly journals Virtual Patient Simulations in Health Professions Education: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis by the Digital Health Education Collaboration (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrzej A Kononowicz ◽  
Luke A Woodham ◽  
Samuel Edelbring ◽  
Natalia Stathakarou ◽  
David Davies ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Health Professions ◽  
Virtual Patient ◽  
Traditional Education ◽  
Health Professions Education ◽  
Virtual Patients ◽  
Patient Simulations ◽  
Digital Education ◽  
Clinical Scenarios

BACKGROUND Virtual patients are interactive digital simulations of clinical scenarios for the purpose of health professions education. There is no current collated evidence on the effectiveness of this form of education. OBJECTIVE The goal of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of virtual patients compared with traditional education, blended with traditional education, compared with other types of digital education, and design variants of virtual patients in health professions education. The outcomes of interest were knowledge, skills, attitudes, and satisfaction. METHODS We performed a systematic review on the effectiveness of virtual patient simulations in pre- and postregistration health professions education following Cochrane methodology. We searched 7 databases from the year 1990 up to September 2018. No language restrictions were applied. We included randomized controlled trials and cluster randomized trials. We independently selected studies, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias and then compared the information in pairs. We contacted study authors for additional information if necessary. All pooled analyses were based on random-effects models. RESULTS A total of 51 trials involving 4696 participants met our inclusion criteria. Furthermore, 25 studies compared virtual patients with traditional education, 11 studies investigated virtual patients as blended learning, 5 studies compared virtual patients with different forms of digital education, and 10 studies compared different design variants. The pooled analysis of studies comparing the effect of virtual patients to traditional education showed similar results for knowledge (standardized mean difference [SMD]=0.11, 95% CI −0.17 to 0.39, I2=74%, n=927) and favored virtual patients for skills (SMD=0.90, 95% CI 0.49 to 1.32, I2=88%, n=897). Studies measuring attitudes and satisfaction predominantly used surveys with item-by-item comparison. Trials comparing virtual patients with different forms of digital education and design variants were not numerous enough to give clear recommendations. Several methodological limitations in the included studies and heterogeneity contributed to a generally low quality of evidence. CONCLUSIONS Low to modest and mixed evidence suggests that when compared with traditional education, virtual patients can more effectively improve skills, and at least as effectively improve knowledge. The skills that improved were clinical reasoning, procedural skills, and a mix of procedural and team skills. We found evidence of effectiveness in both high-income and low- and middle-income countries, demonstrating the global applicability of virtual patients. Further research should explore the utility of different design variants of virtual patients.

scholarly journals Virtual Reality for Health Professions Education: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis by the Digital Health Education Collaboration

10.2196/12959 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. e12959 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bhone Myint Kyaw ◽  
Nakul Saxena ◽  
Pawel Posadzki ◽  
Jitka Vseteckova ◽  
Charoula Konstantia Nikolaou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Health Education ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Health Professions ◽  
Health Professions Education

scholarly journals Mobile Digital Education for Health Professions: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis by the Digital Health Education Collaboration

10.2196/12937 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. e12937 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerard Dunleavy ◽  
Charoula Konstantia Nikolaou ◽  
Sokratis Nifakos ◽  
Rifat Atun ◽  
Gloria Chun Yi Law ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Health Education ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Health Professions ◽  
Digital Education

scholarly journals Health Professions Digital Education for Antibiotic Management: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis by the Digital Health Education Collaboration

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bhone Myint Kyaw ◽  
Lorainne Tudor Car ◽  
Louise Sandra van Galen ◽  
Michiel A van Agtmael ◽  
Céire E. Costelloe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Health Education ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Health Professions ◽  
Digital Education ◽  
Antibiotic Management

scholarly journals Correction: Offline Digital Education for Postregistration Health Professions: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis by the Digital Health Education Collaboration (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pawel Posadzki ◽  
Malgorzata M Bala ◽  
Bhone Myint Kyaw ◽  
Monika Semwal ◽  
Ushashree Divakar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Health Education ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Health Professions ◽  
Digital Education

scholarly journals Digital Health Professions Education on Diabetes Management: Systematic Review by the Digital Health Education Collaboration

10.2196/12997 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. e12997 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhilian Huang ◽  
Monika Semwal ◽  
Shuen Yee Lee ◽  
Mervin Tee ◽  
William Ong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Health Education ◽  
Diabetes Management ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Health Professions ◽  
Health Professions Education

scholarly journals Digital Problem-Based Learning in Health Professions: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis by the Digital Health Education Collaboration

10.2196/12945 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. e12945 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorainne Tudor Car ◽  
Bhone Myint Kyaw ◽  
Gerard Dunleavy ◽  
Neil A Smart ◽  
Monika Semwal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Health Education ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Problem Based Learning ◽  
Health Professions

scholarly journals Correction: Offline Digital Education for Postregistration Health Professions: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis by the Digital Health Education Collaboration

10.2196/20316 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. e20316
Author(s):  
Pawel Posadzki ◽  
Malgorzata M Bala ◽  
Bhone Myint Kyaw ◽  
Monika Semwal ◽  
Ushashree Divakar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Health Education ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Health Professions ◽  
Digital Education

scholarly journals Offline Digital Education for Postregistration Health Professions: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis by the Digital Health Education Collaboration (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pawel Posadzki ◽  
Malgorzata M Bala ◽  
Bhone Myint Kyaw ◽  
Monika Semwal ◽  
Ushashree Divakar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Health Professions ◽  
Computer Assisted ◽  
Unintended Effects ◽  
Digital Education ◽  
Mental Health Therapists ◽  
Traditional Training

BACKGROUND The shortage and disproportionate distribution of health care workers worldwide is further aggravated by the inadequacy of training programs, difficulties in implementing conventional curricula, deficiencies in learning infrastructure, or a lack of essential equipment. Offline digital education has the potential to improve the quality of health professions education. OBJECTIVE The primary objective of this systematic review was to evaluate the effectiveness of offline digital education compared with various controls in improving learners’ knowledge, skills, attitudes, satisfaction, and patient-related outcomes. The secondary objectives were (1) to assess the cost-effectiveness of the interventions and (2) to assess adverse effects of the interventions on patients and learners. METHODS We searched 7 electronic databases and 2 trial registries for randomized controlled trials published between January 1990 and August 2017. We used Cochrane systematic review methods. RESULTS A total of 27 trials involving 4618 individuals were included in this systematic review. Meta-analyses found that compared with no intervention, offline digital education (CD-ROM) may increase knowledge in nurses (standardized mean difference [SMD]=1.88; 95% CI 1.14 to 2.62; participants=300; studies=3; I2=80%; low certainty evidence). A meta-analysis of 2 studies found that compared with no intervention, the effects of offline digital education (computer-assisted training [CAT]) on nurses and physical therapists’ knowledge were uncertain (SMD 0.55; 95% CI –0.39 to 1.50; participants=64; I2=71%; very low certainty evidence). A meta-analysis of 2 studies found that compared with traditional learning, a PowerPoint presentation may improve the knowledge of patient care personnel and pharmacists (SMD 0.76; 95% CI 0.29 to 1.23; participants=167; I2=54%; low certainty evidence). A meta-analysis of 4 studies found that compared with traditional training, the effects of computer-assisted training on skills in community (mental health) therapists, nurses, and pharmacists were uncertain (SMD 0.45; 95% CI –0.35 to 1.25; participants=229; I2=88%; very low certainty evidence). A meta-analysis of 4 studies found that compared with traditional training, offline digital education may have little effect or no difference on satisfaction scores in nurses and mental health therapists (SMD –0.07; 95% CI –0.42 to 0.28, participants=232; I2=41%; low certainty evidence). A total of 2 studies found that offline digital education may have little or no effect on patient-centered outcomes when compared with blended learning. For skills and attitudes, the results were mixed and inconclusive. None of the studies reported adverse or unintended effects of the interventions. Only 1 study reported costs of interventions. The risk of bias was predominantly unclear and the certainty of the evidence ranged from low to very low. CONCLUSIONS There is some evidence to support the effectiveness of offline digital education in improving learners’ knowledge and insufficient quality and quantity evidence for the other outcomes. Future high-quality studies are needed to increase generalizability and inform use of this modality of education.

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