The Virtual Medical Centre Review Program- A New Model for Continuing Medical Information

The RACGP QA&CPD office (WA) recently endorsed a unique approach to the provision of continuing medical education proposed by the Virtual Medical Centre (VMC) for general practitioners.

The VMC, an online provider of information for health professionals comprises 18 separate sites focussing on different diseases. Each site is headed by a relevant specialist physician and is quality-assured by an editorial advisory board (EAB). For example, the Virtual Cancer Centre EAB includes more than 120 national and international cancer specialits. In developing the disease sites the VMC is aware of the need to include the perspective of the GP in the treatment of patients.ObjectivesThe objectives of the VMC review program are:

1. To promote academic collaboration between Gps and other medical colleagues;
2. To provide an Active Learning program which can be undertaken in the GPs own time; and
3. To encourage GPs to contribute to the continuing development of the VMC.

ProcedureThe VMC Review Program comprises:

• selection of a topic from the VMC database by the GP;
• appointment of a facilitator by the relevant Medical Director;
• a literature search undertaken in association with the RACGP library;
• a review of relevant clinical trials currently being undertaken;
• an audit of cases treated by the GP;
• preparation of a hypothetical case study reflecting best practice;and
• a final report reviewed by the facilitator in consultation with the GP.

EvaluationEvaluation data currently being collected from participating GPs is available in the attachment below.Implications for the CPD of GPsGPs have the opportunity to undertake in-dept study of an area of interest in association with medical colleagues with relevant expertise.The active learning program will reinforce best practice procedures for patient care.Please click here for the full presentation.(Kindly contrinuted by Prof. Roderic Underwood. Available for further information on roderic10@bigpond.com.)