Simulating Telemedicine, Medication Reconciliation, and Social Determinants: A Novel Instructional Approach to Health...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Health Informatics
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Medication reconciliation is crucial for reducing medical errors but is challenging in clinical settings.
• Telemedicine offers advantages for medication reconciliation by allowing home environment assessment and identification of social determinants of health.
• Effective telemedicine requires specific training for clinicians, with limited literature on teaching and evaluating telemedicine competencies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and pilot an educational module with a telemedicine simulation and evaluation rubric for medical and physician assistant students.
• To assess students' ability to perform medication reconciliation using telemedicine and identify health-related social needs.
• To evaluate student competency in key telemedicine skills.

Main Methods:

• An educational module incorporating a telemedicine simulation and an evaluation rubric was created.
• The module was piloted with 48 medical and physician assistant students.
• Student performance was assessed based on their ability to conduct a virtual interview, gather medication history, and identify social determinants.

Main Results:

• Most students successfully completed virtual interviews and gathered medication histories.
• Only half of the students identified an unlisted over-the-counter medication.
• The majority of students demonstrated entrustable or near-entrustable levels in six measured telemedicine competencies.

Conclusions:

• The telemedicine simulation is a valuable tool for teaching medication reconciliation and identifying social needs affecting adherence.
• This educational approach helps close gaps in healthcare access through telemedicine.
• The simulation effectively prepares students to utilize telemedicine for comprehensive patient care and adherence support.