title: New Approaches to Continuing Medical Education: a QStream (spaced education) Program for Research Translation in Ovarian Cancer.
abstract: Continuing medical education (CME) is challenging and often has limited impact on clinician behavior or patient outcomes. This study examined the impact of an online Qstream education program on senior clinicians to determine its utility for increasing clinician knowledge about the latest guidelines regarding genetic assessment and consideration of genetic testing for women with particular types of ovarian, fallopian tube and primary peritoneal cancer. Participants were recruited into a pilot study that involved responding to case-based scenarios at spaced and repeated intervals. At the completion of the program, semi-structured interviews were conducted to ascertain the impact on their knowledge and referral behavior. Findings from interviews were subject to thematic analysis that involved the identification of categories and themes. Twenty-one participants commenced the program, seventeen completed and twelve participated in semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis yielded several themes including knowledge change, curriculum and format and changes in referral patterns. A majority of participants (n = 10) agreed the program had helped update their knowledge about referring women, and eight agreed they would now change their referral patterns. The use of QStream as an approach to CME has significant advantages when working with busy clinicians. QStream has a well accepted format and most participants indicated it is very appropriate for disseminating updates to clinical guidelines and protocols. It is important to supplement CME programs with other implementation techniques, such as audit and feedback as multifaceted approaches are more likely to result in behavior change.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Canberra, Sydney, Australia. tracy.robinson@canberra.edu.au.|Sydney West Translational Cancer Research Centre, Crown Princess Mary Cancer Centre, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, Australia. tracy.robinson@canberra.edu.au.
authors.forename: Tracy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.affiliation: Sydney West Translational Cancer Research Centre, Crown Princess Mary Cancer Centre, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, Australia.|Research in Implementation Science and eHealth, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Janssen
authors.affiliation: Sydney West Translational Cancer Research Centre, Crown Princess Mary Cancer Centre, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, Australia.|Familial Cancer Services, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Judy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kirk
authors.affiliation: Sydney West Translational Cancer Research Centre, Crown Princess Mary Cancer Centre, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: DeFazio
authors.affiliation: Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia.|Sydney Catalyst Translational Cancer Research Centre, Chris O'Brien Life House, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Annabel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Goodwin
authors.affiliation: Hereditary Cancer Clinic, Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Kathy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tucker
authors.affiliation: Sydney West Translational Cancer Research Centre, Crown Princess Mary Cancer Centre, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, Australia.|Research in Implementation Science and eHealth, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shaw
mesh_terms: D003479:Curriculum; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing / Q000379:methods*; D005246:Feedback; D005260:Female; D005817:Genetic Counseling / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D018794:Problem-Based Learning; D057170:Translational Research, Biomedical
keywords: Implementation science; Practice change; Spaced education