Education/Training Modalities
VPQ and its partners offer several different training modalities in an effort to accommodate practices schedules and demands:
1) Multiple team interactive sessions. These sessions range from three hours to all day in length, and typically involve teams from several local practices. Though the sessions can be entirely didactic, VPQ suggests limiting the didactic aspect and maximizing time for practice teams to discuss key points from the didactic presentation. Teams are then encouraged to work amongst themselves and plan on how to incorporate their learning into their practice operations. Working time for the teams includes “over the shoulder coaching” from both VPQ staff and local staff with appropriate skills. Interaction and sharing between practice teams is encouraged by VPQ facilitators. VPQ recommends that these sessions be at least three hours long, and that full teams attend the session. Shorter time periods and partial team attendance inhibits productivity.
2) On site training for individual practices. Activities are similar to the multi-team interactive session, but limited to a single practice. Because of staffing capacity, there will be a limited number of hours available for this type of training.
3) Conference calls. VPQ holds a monthly noon hour conference call as part of the VPQ Learning Community on the second Wednesday of each month. The format is usually a formal presentation on a clinical or practice improvement topic from a content expert followed by time for questions and answers. Additional calls can be scheduled for specific community groups on topics of their choosing. Topics for the monthly Learning Community are chosen on the basis of broad interest to the Learning Communities member practices. Enhancement of the conference call with Webinar technology is also available.
4) Interactive TV/Telemedicine. VPQ can support this interactive technology if preferable and convenient for practices.
5) VPQ Learning Community Website.
http://www.vpqhc.org/VPQLearningCommunity/VPQLearningCommunity.htm Materials of interest to member practices are posted for sharing and comment.
6) VPQ Learning Community List serve. The List serve is open for all Learning Community practices. VPQ and its partners are currently working on expanding this technology to support a more robust and flexible virtual community. Interested parties should contact
Dail@vpqhc.org.
7) VPQ Learning Community Forums. These day long events are held in the Spring and Fall of each year in a central location. The intent of these sessions is to create the opportunity for practices from all over the state and region to network with one another, maintain their momentum, re-energize their enthusiasm, and be exposed to local and national leaders in clinical and quality improvement thinking. The next Learning Forum will be on May 11th, 2007.
