Musculoskeletal (MSK) Educational Tool and Impact on Patients Randomized Control Trial - Pilot Study
Trial Snapshot
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Status
- Recruiting
- Enrollment
- 24
- Locations
- 2
- Primary Endpoint
- Patient experience of their individual clinical encounter with the FMRL
Study Overview
Brief Summary
Study Agent/ Intervention/ Procedure The educational tool consisted of 20 short (MSK) case simulations of 15 minutes duration reflecting conditions of the upper extremity; lower extremity; spine; trauma and MSK infections were developed, reviewed and integrated into links that also contained demographic questionnaires; pre and post simulation knowledge questions and learner satisfaction surveys.
Outcome Measures
- Demographic questionnaire for the Learner;
- 100 MCQ (multiple-choice questionnaire) reflecting the same questions contained in the 20 MSK Short Case Simulations
- Pre/Post multiple choice question knowledge questionnaire
- Learner satisfaction questionnaire
- Patient experience and satisfaction questionnaire - QR Code
- Educator evaluation questionnaire - QR Code
- Focus group questionnaire
Primary Objectives
- To determine if learners working through the 20 MSK Short Case Simulations delivered through on-line links would improve their knowledge, skills and satisfaction in learning how to identify and initially manage patients with various MSK conditions when compared to learners not exposed to the same educational tool.
- To determine patients' experience undergoing one of the 20 MSK assessments and initial management of their various MSK conditions by the learners and their satisfaction in receiving their initial care management in both groups
- To determine if the assessment and initial management of the 20 MSK conditions by the learners on the patients was deemed to be competent by the educators in both groups
Detailed Description
This study is an educational study and the intervention is the 20 Short Case Simulations. The educational tool consists of 20 short (MSK) case simulations of 15 minutes duration reflecting conditions of the upper extremity; lower extremity; spine; trauma and MSK infections. They've been developed, reviewed and integrated into links that also contain demographic questionnaires; pre and post simulation knowledge questions and learner satisfaction surveys. MSK complaints comprise up to 30% to 40% of primary care visits. Despite this, MSK curriculum vary widely among institutions, and there is little consistency in how physicians in training are prepared to treat MSK disorders. To address this need, these modules were developed specifically for frontline healthcare providers and a full content review was completed to generate an educational tool. The review and refinement process indicated the presence of a statistical difference when comparing post to pre-test knowledge scores; high internal consistency (Chronbach Alpha) and strong satisfaction scores among all participant learners.
Primary Hypothesis:
- The study hypotheses that the family medicine resident learners being exposed at the start of an academic year to the MSK short case simulations will benefit their assessment and initial management of patients with 20 MSK conditions and that patient experiences will be enhanced when compared to family resident learners not exposed to the same educational tool.
Secondary Hypotheses:
- The study hypothesize that the confounding variable of self-initiated learning of MSK content by family medicine residents not exposed to the 20 MSK case simulations may result in an increase in knowledge and skills and patient satisfaction.
- The study further hypothesize that self-directed learning on the part of both CTL (Control) and EXP (Experimental) groups may lead to increase in knowledge and skills that may be a confounding variable reflected in the retention T3 scores.
Study Design
- Study Type
- Interventional
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Intervention Model
- Parallel
- Primary Purpose
- Other
- Masking
- None
Eligibility Criteria
- Sex
- All
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria
- •Patients with an MSK condition included in the education tool of MSK Short Case Simulations 1-20 (Upper extremity; lower extremity; axial skeleton; trauma and MSK infections Patients) seen either in a family medicine clinic; emergency department; clinical ward in the hospital setting or sporting event at which FMRL were covering from a learners perspective
- •Patients assessed by FMRLs between the months of July 2023 through to March 2024
- •Patient must be free of cognitive impairment and be able to complete an English survey or have a translator present to assist with the translation
- •Electronic devices to accommodate QR codes
Exclusion Criteria
- •non-English speaking participants
- •an inability to complete QR codes
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Patient experience of their individual clinical encounter with the FMRL
Time Frame: up to 7 months
the patients will complete a link to a QR code (5 minutes) and indicate their level of satisfaction of their clinical encounter with the FMRL
Pre and Post-test questionnaires for each of the 20 MSK short case simulations - paired T-tests
Time Frame: up to 7 months
Knowledge questions
Satisfaction questionnaire for EXP group on the educational experience of the MSK case simulations- qualitative analyses
Time Frame: up to 7 months
The participants completing the 20 MSK short case simulations will complete a satisfaction questionnaire of the case simulations
Participant demographics
Time Frame: up to 7 months
Questionnaire (Qualitative analyses)
Educator evaluation of a FMRL
Time Frame: up to 7 months
An educator who would normally supervisor the FMRL with patients would complete a link to a QR code (2 minutes) and indicate the competency of the FMRL
Focus group
Time Frame: up to 7 months
All participants will meet at the end of the study/academic year to review the process and their participation in the study
Secondary Outcomes
No secondary outcomes reported
Investigators
Dr. Veronica Wadey
Principal Investigator
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre