INTRODUCTION

■Achieving Universal Health Coverage depends on the adequate and competent of health care workers to deliver the quality health services(WHO). Korea implemented nation-wide medical service quality assessment program in 2001 to improve quality of care and to narrow quality gap between providers.

AIM

■Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) conducts the quality assessment, and publishes results and provides incentives.

■HIRA also offers quality improvement (QI) program and training courses for small and medium sized hospitals where the infrastructure is insufficient.

■Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020, face-to-face training became unavailable, and QI activities declined. Alternative ways of training, including non face-to-face course, became necessary to overcome such challenge.

METHOD

■HIRA QI training was originally offered based on in-person interaction. Using IT-based online platform, HIRA created non face-to-face course so that health providers can focus on treating COVID-19 patients.

■The course was offered free of charge to maximize access. To help health workers use the website more conveniently, server capacity was secured sufficiently and simplified authentication and self-learning management system were adopted.

■The training materials were developed in collaboration with academic society, consisting of 9 lectures including concept of QI, case study, and QA indicator management.

■The lecturers were selected among experts from clinical field to provide practical aid for QI efforts. In particular, a communication pathway with field experts was built to support patient safety, infection control, and other COVID-19 related responses.

■Training certificates were issued for those completed the course, followed by satisfaction survey for feedback collection.

CONCLUSIONS

■To support QI efforts and build capacity of health workers in this new normal brought by the Pandemic, it is critical to enhance quality of non face-to-face QI training.u

■The importance is even greater for small and medium sized hospitals with relatively insufficient infrastructure.

■Within 6 months, HIRA LMS attracted 4,966 voluntary participants and 1,974 trainees successfully completed the training. Average satisfaction level was high with 77.9 points, which speaks for the effectiveness of course contents based on discussion with experts.

 

RESULTS

1.Expansion of education centered on medical institution workers

■From May to November 2022, 4,966 health workers received HIRA LMS training, which was 9.4 times that of previous face-to-face training participants. (from 466 to 4,966)

■Among the total participants, 1,729 (34.8%) were working for small and medium sized hospitals. Out of 1,974 participants who shared employer information, the number of QI nurses was 1,588(80.4%) and they took 3.8 lectures on average.

2.Improvement of education content and environment

■The online training operation was stable and reliable thanks to the sufficient server capacity and separated training course management.

■Out of the total participants (4,966), 1,974 (39.8%) completed the course and received a certification. This certification of completion is recognized as a proof of QI and patient safety management training. According to the satisfaction survey, the level of satisfaction scored at 77.9 points.

■Feedback and comment mostly mentioned that it was helpful to learn patient safety and infection control. Such positive feedback was possible thanks to the high quality of the training course that incorporated input from academic society and invited QI lecture from field experts.