Theme
Social Networking
Category
Resources
INSTITUTION
Medical Education Leeds
- The promotion of our online resources to our target audiences should have been a top priority
- Junior Doctors already have a lot of resources available to them and it is important to develop niche information in order to attract them.
- We have had very limited success engaging clinicians to provide us with content. Perhaps this is due to a lack of time or other pressures or indeed a lack of information/interest. This is an area that requires further investigation.
- This project has and will continue to be a challenge.
Medical Education Leeds has spent 2 years developing a web presence and identity. Our presentation discusses the barriers we have faced and overcome during this period and how we have tailored our online offer to provide Junior Doctors with a useful range of resources.
This project was undertaken to support our work around our Framework for Technology Enhanced Blended Learning(1) (click the diagram left to expand) and facilitate the diffusion of information, ideas and innovations(2)
We have developed a multi channel online presence incorporating social media channels such as facebook, twitter and you-tube with our website and a forum to provide logistical and educational resources to doctors and Medical Students.
Our website, whilst facilitating online course bookings for Junior Doctors nationally, also has a secure section that offers Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust (LTHT) Junior Doctors and Leeds based Medical Undergraduates specific information, guidance and educational resources in regard to specialities and placements.
A large proportion of the time invested in this project initially, and on an ongoing basis, is required to engage LTHT Clinicians to provide content and then to update this content on a regular basis. We have tried to make this process as simple as possible by providing templates and guidleines for Clinicians to complete and updating the website content ourselves.
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Establishing a specific offer is important to differentiate yourself in a crowded market place.
- Engaging with clinicians and consumers is an essential part of the process.
- Buy in from the relevant parties (e.g. Clinicians and Information Governance) before you undertake a large scale project like this is essential.
- Start small - concentrate on delivering content for one specific group of customers at a time.
- Running and maintaining a multi channel web presence is a full time job
- It is not enough to just provide content - consider how you will promote it.
Data collected online from our primary customer groups is overwhelmingly positive in regard to its appearance and functionality, however engaging the majority of our primary customer groups has proved difficult (see details)
Focus group data has encouraged us to provide a more specific offer and look closely at the information and resources we supply in the online environment.
Only 30% of the consultants we have contacted have engaged in the project.
(1)Framework for Technology Enhanced Learning; DH/Workforce, 2011
(2)Innovation Health and Wealth, Accelerating Adoption and Diffusion in the NHS; Department of Health, NHS Improvement and (2)efficiency Directorate, Innovation and Service Improvement; 2011