Training & Practice Management / Formation et gestion d’une pratique
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Online Videos: The Next Step in Surgical Education… or More Useless Videos on the Internet? William M. Weiss, M.D., MSc, FRCSC Associate Director of Research & Assistant Professor Texas Tech University HSC & William Beaumont US Army Medical Program El Paso, TX
What is Vumedi? umedi (www.vumedi.com) is an online educational platform intended for physicians and allied health professionals. It is essentially a video archive submitted by members, organized by subspecialty. The verification process for joining requires submission of a curriculum vitae which is used to verify that the potential member is indeed a practicing physician. It is free to join and there are no membership fees.
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The goal of Vumedi is to provide an educational platform for physicians. Every subspecialty in orthopaedic surgery is represented, but content varies. There is also education on billing, legal, and business aspects of practice - but these are largely relevant to practicing in the United States. Other medical specialties are also represented. Vumedi occasionally hosts live events that members can attend online, and annually hosts “The Event” which provides an additional forum for small group discussions. There are no lectures or podium presentations at The Event, as the format is case discussions led by faculty that highlight learning objectives. CME credits can be obtained for attending live webinars and The Event. What Are the Benefits? Vumedi provides a virtual venue for physicians to learn from other physicians. Videos are not limited to surgical techniques, but also pertain to clinical presentation, physical examination, and advanced imaging. It allows exposure to rare pathology, complications, and advanced techniques not commonly encountered, facilitating discussion and insight on challenging diagnoses and techniques. Vumedi promotes physician discussion, both by public posts and private messages within the web site. Many prominent surgeons post lectures and surgical techniques for the purpose of education, making their expertise available to those who may not otherwise have access. Are There Potential Limitations? Any time case studies, clinical cohorts, or surgical images are shared, there is potential and concern for violation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Vumedi states that, according to HIPAA, surgical videos or images in which the patient cannot be identified can be shared. If the patient is identifiable, then patient permission must be obtained. The FAQ section of the Vumedi web site contains a link to the relevant portions of HIPAA for review. While Vumedi is compliant with HIPAA, this may not be in accordance with individual hospital or corporation policy. COA Bulletin ACO - Spring / Printemps 2018
The rights to videos posted on Vumedi are maintained by the individual who posts the content, and can be removed at any time. The primary limitation of Vumedi is that the content diversity and quality are entirely dependent on the community of users. There is potential bias in what is presented based on the opinions of those posting, and there are subspecialty areas where limited content is available. Who Uses It? Vumedi states there are more than 200 000 physician members worldwide. My Thoughts? Vumedi is a useful tool for review, particularly for exposure to new surgical techniques. Many prominent surgeons have posted operative cases providing instruction for those who may not have the opportunity to learn from them directly. This is obviously not as effective as “one on one” or hands-on teaching, but does provide exposure and instruction that may not be otherwise possible. Notable limitations of Vumedi include: content is limited by what is uploaded to the platform, and the opinions of those posting may bias the presentation of controversial topics. It remains up to the individual physician to critically evaluate the quality and safety of the information presented. Concerns for violation of patient privacy remain. Although Vumedi is compliant with HIPPA, posting physicians should ensure that it is also in line with the policies of their hospital or corporation.