Nearly every profession and industry requires at least some level of training. But few industries have the same rigorous training as healthcare, and for good reason: medical professionals are responsible for the lives and well-being of others.
Online learning is a powerful training solution for healthcare professionals. It allows them to learn at their own pace, on their own time. And even better, eLearning courses can fit a wide variety of learning styles all at once. With these benefits, there’s a reason the global eLearning market is forecasted to surpass $325 billion by 2025.
Let’s take a look at the benefits of online learning and learning management systems and how you can use both to train your healthcare employees ASAP.
What are the benefits of online learning in healthcare?
Online learning offers a number of benefits to healthcare training. In fact, WHO and Imperial College London researchers found that “eLearning is likely to be as effective as traditional methods for training health professionals.” That certainly held true for OSF HealthCare, who saw preserved knowledge acquisition and satisfaction as they moved their learning online.
Learning happens anywhere, anytime
With eLearning, there’s far more flexibility than a traditional instructor-led learning environment. It’s no surprise that 51% of people prefer self-led online training. Learners are able to make training fit their schedule. And rather than having to commute to an office or offsite location, they can do it in a place that’s convenient and conducive to learning. 51% of employees prefer self-led online training.
Advanced analytics for online training
Get data-informed insights into how effective and engaging your training is through your online learning management system. Track metrics like course completion rate and average time to complete, then determine problem areas using this information. Address challenges and adjust training to improve employee performance.
Get creative
Implement multimedia and interactivity with online learning to keep students engaged. Tools for gamified branching design like Near-Life are a great way to provide an experience, not just a presentation. Using SAP Litmos Courses, Shore Health was able to create engaging training material that included courses, a reference library, and supplemental in-person training. With this new material, Shore cut the time required to train new and existing staff on the revenue cycle. They also cut turnover for staff in half.
Shore Health isn’t alone in turning to rich media and creative content: Kern Health Systems recently created a suite of training videos with Vyond to engage its newly-distributed remote team.
Taking a different approach, Providence St. Joseph’s Health layers an augmented reality element on top of their animated videos with Vyond and Zappar. Learn more in this webinar:
Understanding learning management systems in healthcare
Healthcare facilities will need a learning management system (LMS) to roll out eLearning. An LMS makes it possible to upload, store, and utilize online courses and keep them organized in a centralized location. You can also access and update training and educational materials remotely, as everything is stored virtually in the cloud.
The right LMS will also allow you to track performance, gamify the entire learning process with badges, and more. These enhanced features make it possible to keep training engaging, so employees are motivated to learn and improve their performance.
Look for LMS platforms that accept a wide variety of course formats. You may not have the resources to create multimedia training experiences now, but you’ll want an LMS that can handle any media-heavy courses in the future. You can also ask your developer—or whoever will make your courses—which format they’ll be using to make the courses. Then, find an LMS that’s compatible with this training type.
How to choose the best learning management system
Remember, no two LMS platforms are exactly the same. Instead of looking for an LMS that does everything, find one that matches your needs, both now and in the future.
Identify your current training challenges
Before you start your search for an LMS, identify what you’re trying to accomplish. List your current training and education challenges and how you hope to use an LMS to overcome those obstacles. Keep these goals top-of-mind as you vet your options. For example, if your team is struggling to stay engaged with training, you’ll want an LMS that supports interactive courses and possibly gamification.
Look for advanced reporting and analytics
Most LMS systems provide in-depth analytics on which users are completing courses, if people are dropping out at a certain point, and so on. This information can influence future course design and allow for improved training down the road. Look for LMS platforms with robust reporting and analytics, so you can have the information you need to track and improve employee training.
Prioritize security and HIPAA compliance
Security is a must, especially in the healthcare industry. The 2019 Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society Cybersecurity Survey found that “complacency with cybersecurity practices can put cybersecurity programs at risk.” In other words, being lax about data security can haunt you later. And considering the strict HIPAA Omnibus rules that emphasize properly securing information, the last thing you want is a costly penalty for failing to utilize the right security.
Server-side security is a must for any LMS platform you pick. Beyond that, see if the LMS you’re eyeing offers additional security protection, like two-factor authentication or password encryption.
Choose an LMS with proper support
If we lived in a perfect world, any tech implementation would go smoothly. But we know that’s not the reality, so there’s a chance you’ll need customer support for your LMS. Any hiccups or mistakes can interrupt training.
When looking at LMS platforms, see what kind of support is offered. Ideally, you want an LMS that offers phone support, as well as email or online chat functionality. Additional support, like an in-depth forum, can be a great value-add as well.
The above tips should help you narrow down your LMS choices and find the right one. All the time spent researching and picking the right LMS can pay off now and in the future, when you’re able to smoothly roll out eLearning courses and grow your team with ease.
3 tips for creating eLearning courses for healthcare
With an LMS platform chosen, you’re ready to make eLearning courses for healthcare. There’s a lot that goes into making an effective course, so here are some best practices to keep in mind when starting:
- Remember your audience. Think about the healthcare employees who will be completing this training as you design course requirements. Consider their schedules and workloads when you determine how long it will take to complete the training and whether employees will need to complete it regularly. Considering these factors is especially important in healthcare as medical employees often work long, strenuous hours.
- Choose a course type. If it’s an extremely technical concept, a blend of text and video can get the point across. Or maybe the training is on patient management, in which case, an animation that covers the interaction could be a perfect fit. If a course covers a lot of dense material, break up the content and implement quizzes throughout to ensure people are truly grasping the information.
- Put your director hat on. Adding video to your healthcare training courses is a surefire way to make the content more engaging. The good news is you don’t need advanced video skills to create engaging training content. You can follow basic storyboarding and script concepts when making an animation or live video to ensure your content is succinct and effective. Here’s an example of how to create videos for bedside manner training.
Your first eLearning course will likely take longer to make. Don’t get discouraged! You’ll learn from each course you create and eventually be able to create courses in no time.
Bolster your healthcare training with eLearning courses
eLearning courses can do wonders for healthcare training. They cater to various learning styles and allow employees to learn where they want, when they want. Use an LMS to create your online courses. With the software’s metrics, you’ll have the knowledge you need to improve training and foster a culture of engaged and educated employees.
Add Vyond to your list of healthcare training tools and create your own animated videos:
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