The Impact of Telementoring.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Telementoring is recognized in surgical training, typically assessed by individual surgeon performance.
• Its broader organizational impact and role in quality improvement remain less explored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate telementoring within a wider organizational context in surgical training.
• To understand the role of telementoring in quality improvement processes at a surgical ward.

Main Methods:

• Ethnographic study conducted in Norway from 2014-2016.
• Combined methods: observations, interviews, focus groups, and field notes.
• Followed the surgical training of a specialist candidate in a medium-sized surgical ward.

Main Results:

• Telementoring facilitated the successful training for a new minimally invasive surgical procedure for a vulnerable patient group.
• Telementoring proved essential for ongoing quality improvement initiatives within the surgical ward.
• Normalization of the new procedure required a combination of interwoven organizational elements alongside telementoring.

Conclusions:

• Telementoring is a crucial factor in organizational quality improvement in surgical wards.
• Connecting international expertise with local surgical settings via telementoring can accelerate the adoption of new procedures.
• This approach is particularly beneficial for small- to medium-sized surgical wards seeking to enhance their practices.