title: Exploring educational needs of multiple sclerosis care providers: Results of a care-provider survey.
abstract: Our objective was to survey experienced multiple sclerosis (MS) care providers, determine their ongoing professional educational needs, and develop future education programs. We asked providers across a variety of disciplines to identify the areas in which clinical consultation and continuing medical education (CME) would most improve their ability to provide care to individuals with MS; their preferred education modalities; and their confidence in providing care related to disease-modifying agents (DMAs), fatigue, depression, spasticity, and bladder management. At a national meeting of MS professionals, 152 MS care providers completed a self-report survey that was designed for this cross-sectional cohort study. Areas of greatest interest for clinical consultation and CME were identical and included cognition, fatigue, DMA use, spasticity, pain, sex, diagnosis of MS, and depression. Participants expressed a preference for live and interactive CME modalities. Confidence in providing specific disease-related care sometimes differed between Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and non-VHA providers. The results indicate that clinical consultations and CME should be targeted to the topics of greatest interest identified by providers and delivered in a live or interactive modality whenever possible.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA 98108, USA. Aaron.Turner@med.va.gov
authors.forename: Aaron P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Rhonda M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Goudreau
authors.forename: James D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Bowen
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hatzakis
authors.forename: Ruth H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Whitham
authors.forename: Dennis N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Bourdette
authors.forename: Lynne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: Jodie K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Haselkorn
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000193:education*; D006787:Hospitals, Veterans; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008297:Male; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D020380:Needs Assessment; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011336:Probability; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs / Q000458:organization & administration*