title: Internet point of care learning at a community hospital.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Internet point of care (PoC) learning is a relatively new method for obtaining continuing medical education credits. Few data are available to describe physician utilization of this CME activity.
  
  
  METHODS
  We describe the Internet point of care system we developed at a medium-sized community hospital and report on its first year of utilization. We reviewed all completed Internet PoC report forms for 1 year to determine what percentage of our medical staff participated. Using a Likert-type scale, physicians were asked to rate the effectiveness of this method as a means for obtaining CME credit and for improving patient care.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From a medical staff of 355, 7 physicians (2%) completed an Internet PoC form in the first year of use. The number of completed forms ranged from 1 to 18 for each individual who used the system. On a 5-point Likert scale, physicians rated this method as follows: good answer found to question = 4.4, knowledge base was improved = 4.0, patient benefited from the information = 4.0, and good way to learn new information = 4.2.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A small number of physicians utilized this method for obtaining CME credit, but some individuals really embraced it. Those who used it liked it as a way to obtain CME and many felt strongly that it improved patient care. Other hospitals are encouraged to develop an Internet PoC reporting system for their medical staff.
authors.affiliation: Family Medicine Residency, Middlesex Hospital, Middletown, CT 06457, USA.
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sinusas
mesh_terms: D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing / Q000379:methods*; D006764:Hospitals, Community; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D005791:Patient Care; D010820:Physicians; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires