Evaluation of videoconferenced grand rounds

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Telemedicine
• Continuing Medical Education

Background:

• Grand rounds are crucial for medical education.
• Maintaining certification requires ongoing learning.
• Access to specialized medical education can be limited in regional areas.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness and participant satisfaction of videoconferenced grand rounds.
• To assess technical quality, content, and educational value.
• To determine the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of this educational model.

Main Methods:

• Conducted a five-month study broadcasting 29 grand rounds (medicine and cardiology) via videoconference.
• Collected evaluations from remote participants, presenters, and on-site participants.
• Assessed technical quality, content, presentation, discussion, and educational value using a five-point Likert scale.

Main Results:

• Remote participants rated educational content and value highly (≥3.8), but technical aspects like audio (3.0) and visual aids (3.1) received lower scores.
• Presenters rated interaction and technical aspects lower, particularly seeing remote sites (3.0).
• No adverse opinions were reported by participants regarding the videoconferencing's effect, with mean scores of 3.1-3.3.

Conclusions:

• Videoconferenced grand rounds provide satisfactory continuing medical education for community specialists.
• Improvements in audio and visual technology are needed for optimal remote participation.
• This model is a viable and cost-effective solution for mandatory maintenance of certification.