Use of social media to facilitate dissemination of medical knowledge

A tool for Continuous Medical Education in the Future

Pandula Siribaddana and Rikaz Sheriff

Postgraduate Institute of MedicineUniversity of Colombo

Presentation outline

• What is ‘social media’ (SM)?• Internet based CME Vs Traditional CME• What social media offers in relation to disseminating

medical knowledge?• The theoretical foundation for the role played by SM in

CME – The virtual communities of practice.• A working example of using SM for disseminating medical

knowledge• Important elements needing to address when

incorporating SM into CME – Authenticity and motivation

What is ‘social media’ (SM)?

‘Social media’ is NOT just a ‘media’

“It is the use of web and mobile based technologies to interact with others in a

designated network.”

Internet based CME Vs

Traditional CME

‘Internet based CME’ is AS EFFECTIVE AS ‘traditional CME’!

• But, when the internet based activity is,– Appropriately designed– Evidence based– Have scheduled delivery– Facilitated online discussions– Overcomes the barrier of IT competency among

its learners – And overcomes the barrier of technology involved.

What social media offers in relation to disseminating medical knowledge?

Social media allows Grouping, Knowledge Dissemination,

Interaction And Disbanding

• Grouping based on common interests• Virtual grouping may or may not supplement

existing ‘communities of practice’ (CoP).• Knowledge dissemination may extent beyond

the usual boundaries.• Interaction is the most powerful factor and

will be innovative with every passing minute.• Disbanding is possible and is comparable to

real world CoP.

The theoretical foundation for the role played by SM in CME

The virtual communities of practice.

Social media can facilitate ‘Virtual Communities Of Practice’

• Virtual CoPs exclusively interact through technology

• Presents its users with a different environment, challenges and opportunities

• Main focus in vCoPs would be its ‘interactivity’• Micro-blogging (ex. Twitter) is one such social

media being looked at to create vCoPs.

A working example of using SM for disseminating medical knowledge

A working example of using SM to deliver CME

• Almost 200 medically related articles were used• Stored in a article directory• Twitter used as the micro-blogging site• The twitter username implied to its followers the

activities pertaining to the account• Used the keywords, health, medicine, medical education

and doctor to find potential followers.• 177 followers gained after making 250 requests within 1

week.• Twitter automation was used to gain regular postings.

A working example of using SM to deliver CME…cont

• Sample micro-blog:

A working example of using SM to deliver CME…cont

• Number of followers increased by 114% to 380 followers within the study period

• Individual followers - 20%• Health and Education related industries – 80%• 40 messages posted by the followers (excluding the

welcome messages)• 50% of the messages related to queries or referrals to

related articles• Others were advertisements• 25 re-tweets per day……..could have enlarged the audience

by several folds.

A working example of using SM to deliver CME…cont

• Side effects

Important elements needing to address when incorporating SM into CME – Authenticity and motivation

Authenticity (content, participants, interaction, support) = ‘good’ eCME

• Content should be relevant to the ‘community’, credible and accurate.

• Followers should be legitimate and should not have ‘hidden agendas’

• Maintain room for interaction• Support towards the ‘community’ engaged in

e-CME though micro-blogging.

‘Motivation’: the common enemy of any CME programme

• More re-tweets and comments during the initial few days.

• Interactions lessened as the study progressed• Need novel methods of maintaining

motivation to participate and learn suited to the ‘web’

ReferencesRita W, Suzanne AB, Andrew B (2005), elearning: A Review of Internet-Based Continuing Medical Education, The journal of

continuing education in health professionals, vol 24, pp 20-23.

Michael F et al (2005) Comparison of the Instructional Efficacy of Internet-Based CME With Live Interactive CME Workshops: A Randomized Controlled Trial, JAMA, 294(9):1043-1051 .

Vernon R C, Lisa J F, Fran K (2010) A comparative evaluation of the effect of internet-based CME delivery format on satisfaction, knowledge and confidence, BMC Medical Education, 10:10.

Harden R, (2005) A new vision for distance learning and continuing medical education, Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions, Volume 25, Issue 1, pages 43–51.

Line D, Anne B, Réal J (2006) Towards a Typology of Virtual Communities of Practice, Interdisciplinary Journal of Information, Knowledge, and Management, 1.

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