Embedding Learning in a Learning Health Care System to Improve Clinical Practice.

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Medical Education Technology
• Clinical Informatics

Background:

• The evidence-to-practice gap hinders optimal patient care in learning health care systems (LHS).
• Traditional knowledge dissemination methods have proven insufficient for rapid, meaningful practice change among frontline clinicians.
• Bridging the gap requires effective strategies to translate actionable knowledge into clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of QuizTime, a smartphone application, on clinician behavior and patient outcomes within a learning health care system.
• To assess the effectiveness of spaced education and retrieval-based practice in facilitating practice change.
• To inform the scalable deployment of learning interventions in healthcare settings.

Main Methods:

• A randomized, controlled trial was designed to test the QuizTime learning system.
• The study began in January 2020 at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC).
• The intervention leverages spaced education and retrieval-based practice principles.

Main Results:

• Data are currently being collected to assess the influence of QuizTime on clinician behavior and patient outcomes.
• The study will determine if spaced education and retrieval-based practice impact system-level outcomes at VUMC.
• Analysis of collected data will provide insights into the effectiveness of the QuizTime learning platform.

Conclusions:

• Findings will guide the development and deployment of scalable learning approaches in LHS.
• Successful implementation of QuizTime could help close the evidence-to-practice gap.
• This research aims to improve patient outcomes through enhanced clinician learning and practice.