Implementing a Novel Interprofessional Clinical Informatics Curriculum

Abstract

A novel interprofessional clinical informatics curriculum was developed, piloted, and implemented, using an academic medical record. Targeted learners included undergraduate, graduate, and professional students across five health science colleges. A team of educators and practitioners representing those five health science colleges was formed in 2016, to design, develop, and refine educational modules covering the essentials of clinical informatics. This innovative curriculum consists of 10 online learning modules and 18 unique imbedded exercises that use standardized patient charts and tailored user views. The exercises allow learners to adopt the role of various providers who document in EMRs. Students are exposed to the unique perspectives of an attending physician, nurse, radiological technician, and health information manager, with the goal of developing knowledge and skills necessary for efficient and effective interprofessional communication within the EMR. The campus-wide clinical informatics curriculum is online, flexible, asynchronous, and well-established within each college, allowing faculty to select and schedule content based on discipline-specific learner and course needs. Program modifications over the past 4 years have correlated with a positive impact on the students' experience.

FIGURE 1

Student ratings of the accessibility of module content and exercises. Student ratings in each semester using a scale of 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree) for “I was easily able to access and use the AEMR based upon the instructions provided.”

FIGURE 2

Student ratings on module organization by semester, 2017–2020. Student ratings in each semester using a scale of 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree) on “The modules were well organized.”