Moving Equity into Practice: Evaluation of an Online Asynchronous Continuing Medical Education Program for...

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Medical Education
• Health Equity

Background:

• Persistent health inequities in rheumatologic diseases impact at-risk Canadian populations due to systemic discrimination and bias.
• Previous research identified barriers to rheumatology care and proposed equity-focused solutions.
• An asynchronous online continuing medical education (CME) program was developed for rheumatology clinicians to address these issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the acceptability of a 10-part, 3-module CME program designed to promote equitable rheumatology care.
• To assess the program's impact on intended changes in provider practice regarding health equity.

Main Methods:

• The CME program was informed by input from seven at-risk communities and evidence-based practices.
• Modules focused on equity knowledge, community-specific challenges, and equitable service delivery strategies.
• Program evaluation involved assessing participant satisfaction, knowledge gains, and planned practice changes via descriptive statistics and thematic analysis.

Main Results:

• Nearly half of the 46 enrolled participants completed the certification, reporting high satisfaction.
• 87% of participants reported increased awareness and enhanced ability to support equity in practice.
• Intended practice changes included improving care accessibility, implementing trauma-informed and culturally safe practices, and delivering equitable clinical care.

Conclusions:

• The CME program's four action domains provide actionable strategies for reducing care disparities among underserved populations.
• High participant endorsement suggests strong program acceptability.
• Participant feedback will guide future refinements and advancements of this educational initiative to promote health equity.