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Using email reminders to engage physicians in an Internet-based CME intervention
Maziar Abdolrasulnia1, Blanche C Collins, Linda Casebeer
1Division of Continuing Medical Education, University of Alabama at Birmingham, JNWB 406, 1530 3rd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35294-0500, USA. maziabdo@uab.edu.
BMC Medical Education
|September 30, 2004
Summary
Email reminders effectively engage physicians in online continuing medical education for guideline adoption. Physician participation varied by gender, degree, and training country, with higher engagement seen with repeated email contact.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Health Informatics
- Public Health
Background:
- Physician engagement in educational strategies for guideline adoption is challenging.
- Email and other push technologies offer novel methods for physician engagement.
- Online educational strategies can reinforce clinical guidelines and improve healthcare quality.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of email announcements in engaging primary care physicians in an online guideline reinforcement strategy for Chlamydia screening.
- To identify characteristics of physicians who respond to email announcements.
- To determine the timing and speed of physician responses to email announcements.
Main Methods:
- 445 physicians received up to 33 email contacts over 45 weeks for an online CME activity.
- Participation was defined as at least one website log-on.
- Data analysis focused on participation rates, comparative characteristics, and response timing.
Main Results:
- 47.2% of physicians logged on and completed at least one module.
- Female physicians, US medical graduates, and MDs showed higher participation.
- Physicians with higher baseline screening rates were more likely to participate; the first 10 emails were most effective.
Conclusions:
- Email course reminders can enhance physician recruitment for guideline adoption interventions.
- Physician response to email reminders may differ based on gender, degree, and country of medical training.
- Repetitive email communication is crucial for driving physician online participation.