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document
Evaluating online continuing medical education seminars : evidence for improving clinical practices . The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential for online continuing medical education ( CME ) seminars to improve quality of care . Primary care physicians ( 113 ) participated in a randomized controlled trial to evaluate an online CME series . Physicians were randomized to view either a seminar about type 2 diabetes or a seminar about systolic heart failure . Following the seminar , physicians were presented with 4 clinical vignettes and asked to describe what tests , treatments , counseling , or referrals they would recommend . Physicians who viewed the seminars were significantly more likely to recommend guideline-consistent care to patients in the vignettes . For example , physicians who viewed the diabetes seminar were significantly more likely to order an eye exam for diabetes patients ( 63 % ) compared with physicians in the control group ( 27 % ) . For some guidelines there were no group differences . These results provide early evidence of the effectiveness of online CME programs to improve physician clinical practice .
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Intervention_Educational
online continuing medical education seminars :
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Intervention_Educational
online continuing medical education ( CME ) seminars
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Intervention_Educational
seminar about type 2 diabetes
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Intervention_Educational
seminar about systolic heart failure
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Intervention_Educational
seminar
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Intervention_Educational
online CME programs
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Outcome_Other
improve quality of care .
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Outcome_Mental
recommend guideline-consistent care
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Outcome_Mental
order an eye exam for diabetes patients
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Outcome_Other
improve physician clinical practice .
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Participant_Sample-size
Primary care physicians ( 113 ) participated in a randomized controlled trial to evaluate an online CME series .
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Participant_Condition
physicians