FORTALECIENDO LA PRESTACION DEL SERVICIO

Mr. Himanshu Sekhar Pradhan

Associate Professor, School Of Public Health, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology Deemed To Be University, Bhubaneswar, India

Introduction:

Information and communications technologies (ICTs) can play a critical role in improving health care for individuals and communities. By providing new and more efficient ways of accessing, communicating, and storing information, ICT can help bridge the information divides that have emerged in the health sector in developing countries—between health professionals and the communities they serve and between the producers of health research and the practitioners who need it[1].As ICT plays an ever-increasing role in developed and now developing countries, building 21st century skills to meet the escalating demands on healthcare resources is a strategic imperative for nations [2].

ICT is a blessing in many ways forthe health care education. It facilities as a platform for the health professionals to enhance their knowledge, skills and communicate with their colleagues, students, patients and keep them up-to-date with the latest development in medical and clinical advancements across the world. Students and faculties of medical, nursing or allied health sciences have much to gain from the ICT which has revolutionized the health care field over the years. In recent years, there is a rapid change in the way communication technology is being handled and health professionals should also be ready to embrace it.

ICT in Health Education:

New technology has brought profound changes in education. Medical education has also undergone significant changes due to recent technological advancements. Medical schools, particularly in the developed countries, have invested heavily in ICT not only to deliver education but also to improve the quality of services that health professionals provide. Developing country like India, where scarcity of human resources in the health sector is a problem, can be particularly beneficiary of ICT-mediated education [3].

In adequate educational institutions and qualified medical educators, poor distribution of facilities and poor access to the latest educational infrastructure are some of the issues to be address to improve the quality of medical of medical education in developing countries. Advanced technology can address at least some of these problems. The United Nations (UN) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have acknowledged ICT as a useful tool to address education in health sector in developing countries [3].

There are various types of web technology tools are available to educate and communicate with people and used in health education, some of those mentioned below [4, 5].

Forms of Technological Tools in Health Education:

Tool Description Example

Blogs A Simple website providing brief opinions and information in the form of posts

http://thehealthcareblog.com

The Health Care Blog (compiled of current health trends and issues) Wikis A webpage, which allows to edit,

omit, or add information https://en.wikipedia.org http://www.webicina.com/public- health/public-health-wikis Public Health Wikis (9) Social

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Video sharing A webpage, which is made for video files to be uploaded for public or private users

TED Talks in the Health topics Health promotion webinars Digital libraries Online library which contains vast

resources that is made available in digital format.

– E-learning A webpage that keeps you up-to-date

with the latest developments and provides retraining about the newest technologies.

–

Use of ICT for educational activities of Health care Professionals:

ICT tools such as e-learning, m-learning, science apps, readymade power point presentation and Wikipedia are effective in improving knowledge and skills in health care professionals. Mobile devices, computers, internet, and optical discs are used in education and training of health care professionals across the world[5]. Some of those are discussed below.

E-learning:E-Learning is learning utilizing electronic technologies to access educational curriculum outside of a traditional classroom. In most cases, it refers to a course, program or degree delivered completely online. There are many terms used to describe learning that is delivered online, via the internet, ranging from Distance Education, to computerized electronic learning, online learning, internet learning and many others [6]. ―E-learning encompasses a pedagogical approach that typically aspires to be flexible, engaging and learner–centered; one that encourages interaction (staff–staff, staff–student, student–student), and collaboration and communication, often asynchronously (though not exclusively so) [7].E-learning methods can vary from as simple as audio cassettes to as complex as multi-point video-conferencing facilities supported by online applications. The integration of e- learning in medical education is the need of the hour [8].The students in medical field have to continuously acquire new skills and keep themselves abreast of latest development, a goal presently considered difficult to attain in the absence of technology. The use of e-learning can help them achieving the goal of continuous professional development, considering the vastness of syllabus, paucity of time, and already overburdened schedules [9]. Medical Council of India (MCI), has recognized the importance of the technology and has included the use of electronic means in the broad competency ―Lifelong learner committed to continuous improvement of skills and knowledge [10]. E-learning technology can be used in the augmentation of all the learning domains viz., cognitive, psychomotor and affective. In the cognitive domain, group teaching in classrooms could be enhanced by providing online material like pre-lecture assignments and audio-video clips during the sessions. Psychomotor skills, although best learnt with real practice, can also be augmented by technology, at least up to the ‗knows how‘ level. Audio-visual demonstration of procedures, diagnostics and interventions can be provided. In the affective domain, videos of scenarios depicting good and bad communication-skills, role-plays and counselling sessions, and self-recordings can be used to stimulate learning. Other modalities include online case-studies and patient logs, clinical decision support systems, virtual patients, medical video games, E-books, e-atlases, teaching databases, and digital versions of online journals [8].

Interactive Classroom:Interactive Classroom allows health care students to actively work with the dynamic content, rather than passively listening to the teachers. Interactive technologies based on modern IT developments, become tools that provide students with a world rich in resources. This positive scientific development facilitates customized learning environment for students of different learning styles, which create a time-specific and adjusted estimates of success. With modern technology at its core, interactive classrooms improve the learning process clearly and effectively by illustrating the new concepts and enhancing students ‗motivation. Interactive classrooms are equipped

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with modern interactive hardware and corresponding software.Wireless electronic boardallows the teacher or student from the other end of the room to enjoy the interactive presentation on the interactive control panel. By doing so, it creates a freedom of participants in interactive classroom activities.Electronic notebook is an interactive and innovative device allows easier development and distribution of the educational material.

Webinars: A webinar is a live web-based video conference that uses the internet to connect the individual hosting the webinar to an audience–the viewers and listeners of the webinar from all over the world [11]. Webinars connect geographically dispersed doctors to share their information, ideas, and to be in touch with the fraternity [5].

ICT enabled Seminars: ICT enabled seminars for the healthcare students facilitate participation of the students and teachers from distance places.

ICT enabled Continuing Medical Education Programs (CME): Continuing medical education (CME) expands the knowledge of medical professionals and provides up-to-date on emerging medical technologies. Claiming that doctors are one amongst the busiest professionals to spare time in physical training, the ICT enables them to carry their education from anywhere and gain the credits. ICT enabled CME program acts as an interactive virtual classroom, teleconference of operative procedures, online library, and web enabled teaching to fill the knowledge gap in the health care professionals [5].

E-books: E-books can be easily accessed by the health care professionals as per their choice.

Mobile health (mHealth) technologies: Mobile health (mHealth) technologies have experienced a recent surge in attention because of their potential to transform the delivery of health care. This enthusiasm is partly due to the near ubiquity of smartphones and tablets among clinicians, as well as to the stream of mobile medical apps and devices being created [12].Medical students are using smart phones in a big way using a number of apps in their education, including anatomical atlases, reference tools, and question banks[13].The potential applications of mHealth technologies closely align to the tripartite goals pursued by academic medical institutions: clinical, research, and educational.Many components of traditional medical devices, such as display screens and batteries, are now built into smartphones and tablets, and these mobile-based devices can be manufactured at a lower cost, making them more accessible to students and institutions for educational purposes [12].

Digital Simulations for Health training:Various forms of health simulation currently co-exist. A distinction must be drawn between organic and non-organic simulation. The first entails simulation with animals, cadavers (notably for surgical procedures) or live subjects (e.g. 'dramatised' simulations with patient-actors of consultations at which diagnoses of chronic diseases are announced) while the second uses substitution aids: mannequins, procedural simulators and new information and communication technologies. Digital simulation represents the future of health training, free of the impassioned debates about patient consent. It helps in complying the ethical principle and it allows knowledge to be disseminated in an appropriate way given current training constraints: delivered remotely; delivered to several participants; can be repeated, etc. Finally, after initial training, it helps health professionals to retain knowledge and increase their expertise in an environment where patient management is over-specialised. "The end goal of digital health simulation must be to improve patient management", says JérômeLeleu, CEO of Interaction Healthcare, the French leader in digital health simulation. As per YvanieCaillé, Founder and Director of patients‘ association, Renaloo, ―"Health digital simulation provides tangible solutions that recognize the human aspects in each patient instead of just seeing the bodies used as learning objects, sometimes without consent. It enables the emergence of a new rule, "never first on a patient." It is an opportunity to democratize health. Beyond the training of health professionals, health digital simulation couldalso become a training tool and support for patients, in addition to or as part of therapeutic education"[14].

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Telementoring: Telementoring involves procedural guidance of one professional by another from a distance using telecommunications. This has involved interactions involving audio dialogue, video telestration (video tablet and pen), and even guidance of a camera or laparoscope with a surgical robot such as AesopTM _{(Computer Motion, Santa Barbara, CA). In order to send audiovisual data,}

connections using wide area network (WAN), LAN local area network (LAN), integrated services digital network (ISDN) or internet protocol (IP) links have been utilized. Security has been established through virtual private networks (VPNe) to prevent others to access and manipulate connections. At first, telementoring was developed by surgeons from the Johns Hopkins Universitygroup utilizing rudimentary teleconferencing audiovisual equipment and a video sketch pad to provide telestration (Cody Sketchpad, Chryon Corp., Melville, NY)[15].

Conclusion:

Based on the experience from different countries and set ups, it is convinced that getting the right and appropriate ICT tools in the hands of teachers and students of health care field proving to be a catalyst for better and more immersive education. This will facilitate health professionals in acquiring border skills and preparing themselves for the fast evolving challenges of present and future healthcare settings across the world. Appropriate measures should be taken to equip the students and faculties with necessary ICT tools for optimal application of the same. Need based ICT training should be incorporated as a part of the curriculum of medical, nursing and allied health sciences education. A careful combination of time tested and latest information and communication technologies in teaching learning should be underscored to make the health education enjoyable and impressive.

References:

ICT for Health. Available from http://www.healthconnect-intl.org/ictforh.html

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is Transforming Healthcare Education in the Philippines. Available

from:http://www.who.int/pmnch/events/partners_forum/ICT_transforming_Healthcare_Education_Phi lippines.pdf

How medical students use ICT for patient care and education. Available from: http://ictpost.com/how-a- medical-student-uses-ict-for-patient-care-and-education/

Technology use in Health Education: A review and future implications. Available from://www.tojdel.net/journals/tojdel/articles/v03i02/v03i02-09.pdf

Information & Communication Technology in Health Education. Available from: http://www.infocusrx.com/blog/information-communication-technology-in-health-education/

What is eLearning. Available from:http://www.elearningnc.gov/about_elearning/what_is_elearning/ Ellaway R, Masters K. AMEE Guide 32: E-Learning in medical education Part 1: Learning, teaching and assessment. Med Teach. 2008;30:455-73.

E-Learning in Medical Education in India. Available from: http://www.indianpediatrics.net/oct2017/871.pdf Choules AP. The use of e-learning in medical education: A review of the current situation. Postgrad Med

J.2007;83:212-6.

MCI Vision 2015 Booklet. Medical Council of India. Available from: www.mciindia.org/tools/announcement/MCI_booklet.pdf. Accessed June 18, 2016.

What is Webinar. Available from:https://www.lifewire.com/what-is-a-webinar-3486257

iMedEd: The Role of Mobile Health Technologies in Medical Education. Available from:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4146691/

Ellaway RH, Fink P, Graves L, Campbell A. Left to their own devices: Medical learners‘ use of mobile technologies. Medical Teacher. 2014;36(2):130–138. [PubMed]

MedicActiv, A new approach to Health Training. Available from: https://www.medicactiv.com/wp- content/uploads/2015/10/Press_Kit_MedicActiv.pdf

Telementoring and Telesurgery: Future or Fiction?. Available from: https://www.intechopen.com/books/robot- surgery/telementoring-and-telesurgery-future-or-fiction-

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LMS- BENEFITS AND CONSTRAINTS IN ENHANCING TEACHING LEARNING