title: A multicenter cardiovascular MR network for tele-training and beyond: setup and initial experiences.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Training in cardiovascular MR (CMR) is an important topic in times of growing acceptance of the method for accurate diagnosis and management of cardiovascular disease. However, off-site training is becoming less acceptable with increasing cost and time pressures. We introduce a novel CMR network, capable of providing, remotely, part of CMR training and continuous expert support. By providing a technical and operational blueprint, we want to share our experience in building teaching networks.
  
  
  METHODS
  Conceptual, technical, and content-related characteristics of our teaching methods are introduced. A total of 97 participants in traditional fellowship CMR teaching and novel module-based network teaching were surveyed to assess their CMR performance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The number of hospitals in our CMR network increased from five in 2009 to 14 in 2014. A total of 79% of network hospitals conducted >100 CMR scans annually. Among these network hospitals are four small institutions (<400 beds), and five medium-sized hospitals (400-1,000 beds). Network teaching reduced off-site training to only five weeks. The time to the first independently conducted CMR scans was one week, with network teaching, but >1 month for 32% of participants in traditional CMR teaching. The CMR network enables experts from distant locations to supervise and control CMR scans in a distant hospital, in real time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CMR networks provide an efficient teaching platform with a minimum of off-site time for trainees. Real-time remote supervision and scan control capabilities support the decentralization of CMR expertise and enables even small and rurally located institutions to offer high-quality CMR scans.
authors.affiliation: Working Group on Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance, Experimental and Clinical Research Center-a joint endeavor between the Charité Medical Faculty and the Max-Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine; and Department of Cardiology and Nephrology, HELIOS Klinikum Berlin Buch, Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: fabian.muehlberg@charite.de.
authors.forename: Fabian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Muehlberg
authors.affiliation: HELIOS IT Service GmbH, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Neumann
authors.affiliation: Working Group on Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance, Experimental and Clinical Research Center-a joint endeavor between the Charité Medical Faculty and the Max-Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine; and Department of Cardiology and Nephrology, HELIOS Klinikum Berlin Buch, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: von Knobelsdorff-Brenkenhoff
authors.affiliation: Working Group on Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance, Experimental and Clinical Research Center-a joint endeavor between the Charité Medical Faculty and the Max-Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine; and Department of Cardiology and Nephrology, HELIOS Klinikum Berlin Buch, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Julius
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Traber
authors.affiliation: HELIOS IT Service GmbH, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Nils
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Alwardt
authors.affiliation: Working Group on Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance, Experimental and Clinical Research Center-a joint endeavor between the Charité Medical Faculty and the Max-Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine; and Department of Cardiology and Nephrology, HELIOS Klinikum Berlin Buch, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Jeanette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schulz-Menger
mesh_terms: D002309:Cardiology / Q000193:education*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction / Q000379:methods*; D003479:Curriculum; D005858:Germany; D020407:Internet / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019028:Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cine; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011871:Radiology / Q000193:education*
keywords: Cardiovascular MR; tele-radiology; tele-teaching; telelearning; training