title: Innovative desktop learning tools. Implications for rural hospitals and physicians.
abstract: Innovative methods of providing workplace education for health care professionals may be a key to the survival of rural hospitals in America. Such methods must overcome time, distance, cost and organizational constraints, and take into account the structure of the learning experience. The Texas Hospital Education and Research Foundation has recently been involved in two programs that tested new approaches to worker education using distance-learning strategies. The projects--resource sharing among rural directors of nursing and training for cancer tumor registrars--used computer-conferencing technology. A new model using existing satellite, audio-conferencing, and computer-based instruction augmented by computer conferencing is proposed. The Computer-Related Assisted Distance Learning Enhancement (CRADLE) model integrates existing technologies to provide education to health care workers at their desktop. The Cancer Learning Center (CLC) tested peer collaboration, the primary component of the model. The ultimate goal is to have the system available to all tumor registrars in Texas, and to secure funding to implement rural nursing and rural high-school health occupations education projects. Current projects from set-up through results are presented.
authors.affiliation: Texas Hospital Education and Research Foundation, Austin 78761-5587.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Oeffinger
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hiebeler
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sherman
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gaskill
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Portante
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Polasek
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Litterer
mesh_terms: D003195:Computer Communication Networks / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration; D006751:Hospital Information Systems / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration; D006780:Hospitals, Rural / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008497:Medical Record Administrators / Q000193:education; D017146:Models, Organizational; D010564:Personnel, Hospital / Q000193:education*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D014481:United States