title: Evaluating the experience of training through videoconferences in primary care.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The technological innovations that are a part of organizational realities allow for new possibilities in social processes. In Belo Horizonte, Brazil, the municipality established a system of training through videoconferences in primary care connecting professors and professionals from primary care units to discuss assistance problems in medicine, nursing, and dentistry.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  An evaluation of the professionals' perception regarding the system of training through videoconferences in primary care.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study involved 148 basic health units in the city of Belo Horizonte. A structured survey was applied to a sample of 373 people who used the system in 2008.
  
  
  RESULTS
  According to the survey data, 58.6% of the professionals participated in more than three videoconferences in 6 months, whereas 30.3% did not participate in any type of face-to-face training activity; 98% considered the topics interesting and 70% affirmed that the topics discussed helped them when performing assistance tasks. Other aspects that were evaluated as excellent or good include: 36.6% approved the sound quality of the videoconferences, 46.4% approved the image quality, and 43.9% approved the system stability. These results highlight some problems. Nevertheless, 90.2% evaluated the telehealth project as being excellent or good and 96.7% would recommend the implementation of the project in other units.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The system of educational training videoconferences can contribute to improving the competence of primary healthcare attention.
authors.affiliation: Telehealth Nucleus, Medical School, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil. laines@uol.com.br
authors.forename: Alaneir de Fátima
authors.initials: Ade F
authors.lastname: dos Santos
authors.forename: Salime Cristina
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Haddad
authors.forename: Humberto José
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.forename: Rosália Moraes
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.forename: Claúdio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.forename: Maria do Carmo Barros
authors.initials: Mdo C
authors.lastname: de Melo
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training / Q000379:methods*; D011320:Primary Health Care; D015397:Program Evaluation; D049269:Videoconferencing / Q000458:organization & administration*