Leveraging In Situ Simulation for Implementation of Teleobstetric Consultation Services in Rural and Community...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Telemedicine
• Obstetrics

Background:

• Rural healthcare disparities in obstetric care were addressed by implementing acute-care obstetric (OB) telemedicine (TeleOB).
• The study aimed to evaluate the impact of in situ simulations with TeleOB consultation on clinician preparedness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess if multidisciplinary in situ simulations enhance comfort managing obstetric emergencies.
• To determine if embedded TeleOB consultations increase comfort with and likelihood of using telemedicine services.

Main Methods:

• Rural care teams engaged in multidisciplinary in situ obstetric emergency simulations.
• Referral center OB and neonatology physicians provided telemedicine consultations during simulations.
• Participants completed pre-simulation, post-simulation, and six-month follow-up surveys.

Main Results:

• Participants reported enhanced comfort with TeleOB activation, indications, and workflow.
• Increased comfort levels were observed in managing obstetric emergencies post-simulation.
• A significantly higher likelihood of future TeleOB utilization was reported by participants.

Conclusions:

• In situ simulation with integrated telemedicine consultation effectively facilitates TeleOB implementation.
• This simulation model promotes the adoption and use of telemedicine by rural clinicians.
• The findings support telemedicine as a strategy to mitigate rural obstetric care disparities.