Little time, high pressure, and still always being up to date – that is the reality in healthcare. Through digitalization, e-learning offers new opportunities for practices and clinics! In the article, you will learn how e-learning in medicine helps to address the specific challenges in healthcare.

Especially since the beginning of the Corona pandemic, it has become clear: Digital training is needed in all industries! Particularly in professions where time is often short and pressure is high, training must be as flexible and uncomplicated as possible. The simple solution: E-learning.

Challenges in Healthcare

Healthcare, in particular, is faced with many challenges:

• The bids are tight. Especially hospitals are struggling with enormous cost pressure due to increasing privatization.

• There is a chronic staff shortage in almost all medical fields despite the heavy workload.

• At the same time, the knowledge of the existing healthcare staff must be kept up to date, making training increasingly important.

• These must be flexible and time-efficient for employees and cost hospitals or practices as little time and money as possible.

But how are doctors, nurses, and therapists supposed to manage working AND learning in their limited time? E-learning can particularly help in medicine but is still used too rarely. You will learn how the implementation of e-learning in healthcare can be successful and what you should pay attention to:

That's why E-Learning is so Important in Medicine

In the healthcare sector, e-learning is used for both education and training, as well as in everyday work. In addition to classical training purposes, e-learning is now increasingly utilized in the everyday life of practices, therapy facilities, hospitals, and even health insurance companies.

Mindmap: Where the use of e-learning in healthcare is worthwhile // Presentation: blink.it

And there's a good reason for that! Just like in other areas, e-learning has some advantages:

• Digital training in an online course is not only more cost-effective for employers.

• E-learning also offers participants time and spatial flexibility,

• takes different learning preferences of participants into account, and

• is also much more enjoyable than a purely face-to-face training.

• Ultimately, you can also make dry topics illustrative and motivating.

Application Areas of E-Learning in Healthcare

E-learning is not just e-learning; we have established that by now: E-learning is an umbrella term for various methods and application areas. Even in medicine, the potential applications of e-learning are very diverse:

• E-learning in onboarding or the training of new employees

• E-learning for the training of staff

• E-learning for quality assurance of competencies and workflows

• E-learning as a facilitation in everyday work

E-learning is particularly well-suited for explaining processes, structures, and rules. It is also a suitable method for conveying knowledge when introducing new therapy options, operating technical devices, and other theoretical topics.

Many companies also use e-learning for regular checks of health training or other important qualifications. They can also help simplify workflows, e.g., by allowing patients to read all important information in a special online course before the start of therapy and thus prepare for their treatment.

E-Learning Just for Doctors, Nurses, and Staff?

E-learning offers a variety of possibilities in medicine to simplify everyday work and training in healthcare – for both patients and staff:

1. E-learning for doctors and nurses

2. E-learning in the training of healthcare professionals

3. Excursus: E-learning for patients in the healthcare sector

E-Learning for Doctors and Nurses

Medical staff need to stay up to date when it comes to new treatment methods and technical advancements. However, there is often too little time for that in the stressful daily routine of hospitals.

A good example of this is the current Corona pandemic: At the beginning of 2020, many hospitals and their staff had to react quickly and learn how to cope with the new situation, recognize symptoms, and properly care for Corona patients – all under enormous time pressure! Medical professionals and nurses had to be kept informed about the latest developments at all times to ensure adequate medical care. Exchange and dissemination of current developments were particularly crucial – and simultaneously a significant challenge in the stressful hospital environment.

When hospitals rely on e-learning in such moments, they can easily inform all staff about the latest developments online and ensure that each employee really receives the information. Online content can be accessed by everyone whenever it suits them best. This allows for flexible learning to be integrated into the hectic daily routine of hospitals. In e-learning, employees can also exchange ideas, discuss in the comments under posts, and share experiences when a suitable learning tool is chosen.

E-Learning in the Training of Healthcare Professionals

E-learning is not only suitable for the further training of employees in the daily routine of hospitals or practices. E-learning is also a good way to pass on knowledge when training nurses, therapists, and doctors. To facilitate the transition from theoretical education in schools and universities to practical everyday hospital and practice life, e-learning is the optimal companion. Typical digital teaching offerings in medical education are according to Springer:

• classical media and learning tools for content delivery, such as digital texts, emails, and databases

• social communication tools for exchange, such as forums, chats, or comment functions

• electronic examination systems, such as e-exams or final tests and quizzes in online courses

• audio and video-based media for instructions or tutorials, such as podcasts or screencasts

• interactive tools, such as serious games, role-playing, subject-specific interactive tools, and simulations

The hospital routine is often stressful, and many employees hardly have the time to calmly guide new hires through the various departments or explain specific processes. Here, e-learning is also suitable for bundling all information in one course. This way, newcomers can look up themselves if the answer is in the online course or whom they can contact without becoming overwhelmed by the many new impressions.

Medical staff primarily learns theoretical knowledge during training and does not always have the opportunity to observe an experienced colleague's work closely. With videos in e-learning, this practical reference can be achieved even in a small scale. For instance, doctors can film an operation or reenact a typical visit with a colleague. This gives the trainees direct insight into what awaits them.

Reading Tip: You can find more on the topic of onboarding apprentices in this article: The apprentices are coming! How to make onboarding easy and time-saving.

Example of medical explanatory videos in e-learning // Source: Smedex, YouTube

Excursus: E-Learning for Patients in Medicine

E-learning is not only suitable for professionals and their training in the health sector. There are now also many options available for patients themselves.

Some health insurance companies already offer specific e-learnings for informational purposes for their customers, provide free online courses on topics, and inform them digitally about services and offerings. Some insurance companies also offer digital therapy options and preventive e-learnings on topics such as relaxation, sports, nutrition, or mental health. The offerings range from online therapies to sleep training to various digital yoga and sports courses, usually free for members.

In hospitals, there are options to explain all important information in detail in an online course before surgery or another procedure. For example, the treating physician can show in a video what exactly will be done and what the patient should pay attention to beforehand. In such courses, the patient can also continue to be accompanied and cared for after treatment or procedure. For example, also preventively in the face of current health mass phenomena such as diabetes or improper nutrition. Additional questions and uncertainties can still be discussed in a subsequent appointment. This alleviates many fears of the patient, making them feel well-informed, and relieving the physician and staff of their workload.

There are many ways to implement e-learning in healthcare – what has just been mentioned is, of course, just a small selection of the most common application areas!

E-Learning in Medicine: What You Should Pay Attention To

That e-learning is suitable for use in hospitals and practices, providing many advantages especially for the staff, we have already clarified. Nonetheless, there are some challenges and peculiarities that you should consider for the use of e-learning in medicine:

No matter how you want to use e-learning in medicine: In any case, you need a suitable e-learning platform that is easy to use and easily accessible for both staff and patients.

We have found that blink.it is perfect for the requirements in the healthcare sector. Do you want to test whether the learning platform is also suitable for your purposes? Then book an obligation-free demo now and directly test how such an online course can look in the free online course. Have fun!