Microlearning in the Healthcare Industry
Tips from Top Corporate Training Company
The healthcare industry is constantly innovating. Changes in technology, processes and procedures mean that to keep current, industry professionals have to reskill and upskill to comply with the strict regulations in these fields. In such a fast-paced environment with increasingly complex subject matter, training can be a challenge.While classroom training is highly effective it is not always a viable solution – many teams are dispersed or out in the field. This is why other forms of training such as virtual classroom training, eLearning and microlearning are becoming more popular.
Microlearning is a relatively quick and cost-effective way to produce training that keeps the skills of employees across departments and countries current. “Modern research supports the theory that our brains respond better to targeted information that’s repeated often, rather than large volumes of data that’s delivered as a one-off learning event.”1
According to research by ATC, 92% of organizations using microlearning planned to do more of it in 2017, and over 67% of organizations not using microlearning planned to adopt it as part of their learning and development strategy.2
Download your free eBook entitled "Microlearning: Bite-Sized eLearning" to learn more about this eLearning tool.
Here are some areas within the healthcare industry that can benefit from a strong microlearning strategy.
Reduce nurse turnover
According to the American Nurses Association, by 2022 there will be a need for 3.44 million nurses, a 20.2% increase.4 Combine that with the fact that nurse turnover has increased this could cause a real issue in the already strained healthcare space.
One of the reasons cited for turnover is that new nurses report a lack of training and formal onboarding by the organizations in which they work. A solid training strategy to combat this trend is microlearning.
By providing a series of short videos nurses can watch on their smartphones or tablets between their regular duties, they can quickly get the information they need on specific subjects without spending hours in a classroom. Microlearning has proven to be effective in the just-in-time training of RNs with 65% more retention of training information compared to 10% for lectures and manuals.5
Decrease in patient no-show rates
Many patients worry about their scheduled treatments or procedures, unsure of what to expect, resulting in relatively high no-show rates. To help put their minds at ease, some healthcare facilities are producing short microlearning videos that patients can watch at their convenience prior to their procedures. These videos can cover topics such as explaining the ailment, the steps in the treatment, and what the patient can expect during and after the medical appointment.
Mytonomy, a company that produces these short informational healthcare procedure videos, reports that at one hospital the use of microlearning videos has reduced the no-show rate from 50% to only 7%, a big improvement.6
Reduce patient readmissions
Once a patient has been treated for an illness or condition, they need to be educated on lifestyle changes or a specific course of treatment. Earlier this year, Telehealth and Healthwise announced they were teaming up to launch iCareNavigator, a platform combining microlearning content with adaptive learning to create virtual health coaches for these patients.
The content includes health education plans, relaxation therapy and support services, and connects family members who can get involved and encourage healthier choices. A personalized health coach is available to encourage healthier choices that will reduce the chances of a setback leading to readmission.7
As a cost-effective and agile tool, microlearning could be the training format pharmaceutical and healthcare organizations will want to adopt to ensure all employees are fully trained and can access on-demand courses as needed to ensure peak performance in these vital and growing industries.
References
1 Growing knowledge with microlearning http://www.pharmatimes.com/web_exclusives/growing_knowledge_with_microlearning_1231357
2 How Microlearning will Shape the Future of Work https://www.td.org/insights/how-microlearning-will-shape-the-future-of-work
3 Doctors say pharma rep details are stale, need updating for digital age
4 Nursing Shortage Statisitcs https://peopleelement.com/nursing-shortage-statistics/
5 How Microlearning and Just-In-Time Training Can Improve Nurse Care Training
6 Empowering the Patient https://facesoffounders.org/empowering-the-patient-6842e11137da
7 BusinessWire https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180306005765/en/TeleHealth-Services-Healthwise-Partner-Develop-Microlearning-Strategy