PlatformQ Health Education is proud to share that the article “Taking OAB Seriously: A Qualitative Evaluation of Primary Care Education on Overactive Bladder Syndrome Management” is available online, ahead of publication, in the Wiley journal International Journal of Clinical Practice.
The article focuses on the impact of a virtual educational program created by PlatformQ Health Education and distributed in collaboration with the Large Urology Group Practice Association (LUGPA). The program, Managing Overactive Bladder in the Primary Care Setting aired live on UroCareLive in November of 2018 and was available on-demand for 6 months. Specifically, the 2-session educational program targeted primary care and specialist providers with respective educational content that highlighted best practices to: screen for and accurately diagnose OAB syndrome, implement effective treatment strategies, and improve treatment adherence.
The publication highlights results of qualitative in-depth-interviews, conducted with primary care and specialist learners, that were the feature component of a mixed methods evaluation of the CME initiative. Authors include Wendy Turell, DrPH, PlatformQ Health Education, Alexandra Howson, PhD, Thistle Editorial, LLC, Scott MacDiarmid, MD, FRCPSC, Alliance Urology Specialists Bladder Control and Pelvic Pain Center, and Matt Rosenberg, MD, Mid-Michigan Health Centers.
Qualitative analysis of the 20 in-depth-interviews focused on learner reflections on the impact of education and knowledge and clinical practice. Analysis yielded four key themes that are explored in the article, including: 1) taking OAB seriously; 2) variations in therapy; 3) patient motivation; and 4) educational value. Results suggest that the education was effective in reinforcing and encouraging consideration of change in the learners’ practices due to its relevance to the challenges they face in managing patients with OAB syndrome. Importantly, key HCP and patient gaps and barriers were identified, including use of unnecessary testing, lack of alignment with appropriate behavioral recommendations, embarrassment on the subject of OAB syndrome, and adherence challenges in regard to behavioral interventions or lifestyle modifications.
PlatformQ Health Education is recognized within the industry as leaders in measuring the impact of outcome-driven education. Our in-house outcomes and medical team regularly present findings and best practices at medical and industry conferences, publish in peer-reviewed medical and CME/CE industry journals, and have been awarded for excellence by their peers. Our team members serve on industry leadership committees tasked with promoting research in CME/CE and determining industry-wide outcome standards. We are proud to be moving the needle, and to continue to widely disseminate results from our outcomes evaluation studies that focus on the impact of clinician and patient educational activities.