ABSTRACT
This is a work in progress. Biomedical engineering undergraduates use the design process to solve open-ended problems in studio-based courses, cornerstone design experiences, or senior capstones. Some professional skills that are acquired through these ABET accredited courses are: the abilities to design a technology-based product or service, to address a real-world problem, and to communicate effectively. The forced transition to online education due to the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the fact that higher education students need more self-regulated learning (SRL) skills to engage in effective time management, prioritize their tasks, watch lectures, and complete assignments. Most literature concerning self-regulated learning has not acknowledged the underpinnings of how design pedagogy and the studio culture can play significant roles in achieving these important skills in engineering design. As in many other subdisciplines, the deployment of design education is often informed by folk pedagogy, rendering it limited in scope, non-replicable and difficult to transfer to other disciplines and areas. This article looks to explain some of the theoretical and practical underpinnings of Self-Regulated Learning Design and to describe techniques implemented in 2021 to scaffold the design learning process in our well-known Design Teams biomedical engineering course. We use a Design Based Research approach to describe some of the scaffolding techniques and to assess and propose possible improvements to these teaching practices. Future work will include thorough qualitative assessments of the experiences of past and current students as well as an expansion of the theoretical framework and literature involved. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2022.
ABSTRACT
Background: Asymptomatic patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) pose challenges to diagnosis. Early diagnosis can reduce morbidity and mortality. Systematic screening in primary care may result in early intervention. Objectives: We sought to examine the implementation outcomes of a systematic, team-based quality improvement education (QIE) intervention for AF screening in primary care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: QIE intervention was implemented in academic-based (n=4) and community-based (n=2) practices to address COVID-19 challenges. Surveys administered by site identified existing approaches and provider teams developed screening protocol based on targeted education, deploying a mobile ECG device (Kardiamobile™). Patient charts were reviewed (Dec 2020-May 2021) to determine eligibility, i.e., patients aged 65-74 (with prior stroke/TIA or two other risk factors) or aged ≥75 (with one other risk factor) without prior AF. Patient EHR data were examined for demographic/clinical data and screening outcome. Provider interviews (n=12) and validation from representative patients (n=2) accounted for sustainability of outcomes. Results: A total of 1,221 patients were evaluated for AF risk, with 408 eligible for screening. Of these, 277 (68%) were female and CHA2DS2-VASc varied-score=3 (45%);score=4 (24%);score=5+ (31%). Patients (n=7;2%) who screened positive for AF were referred or started on anticoagulation, like other primary care studies. Figure 1 shows how systematic screening was re-imagined and implemented Satisfaction and engagement increased among providers and patients-attributed, in part, to benefits of team-based planning and targeted education. Conclusion: An AF screening program was adapted to improve patient care despite COVID-19 related challenges. A QIE toolkit was launched to assist primary care practices with implementing streamlined, sustainable, and patient-engaging strategies to reduce stroke.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Only 60% of atrial fibrillation (AF) patients with elevated stroke risk receive anticoagulation (AC). Closing this gap in AC use is particularly challenging in the face of the COVID19 pandemic. Electronic health record (EHR) alerts integrated into in-person and telehealth visits have the potential to close the gap. Hypothesis: A triad approach consisting of interventions at the practice provider at patient level could improve anticoagulation rates in patients with atrial fibrillation. Methods: In collaboration with the Heart Rhythm Society Quality Improvement Committee and UMass, University of Florida (UFL) Jacksonville launched a 2020 quality improvement (QI) intervention, including several Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles, centered around an outpatient, electronic health record (EHR) alert linked to an order set for AC meds, labs, and specialty referrals. The alert fired when cardiologists or primary care physicians saw AF patients in clinic with a CHA2DS2-VASc score of ≥2 who were not on AC. Due to COVID-19, several of the PDSA interventions required adjustments due to redeployment of information technology staff mobilized to generate COVID-19 reports, a pivot for clinicians and patients to telehealth visits, and a change in clinician and patient priorities from routine cardiovascular/preventive care to COVID-19 diagnosis and prevention. To assess intervention effectiveness, the change in AC use as a function of time was measured using a weighted least squares linear regression. Results: At time of launch, 2357 of 3555 eligible patients (56.3%) were on AC. At study end, six months later, the percentage of patients on AC increased by 1.5% to 57.8 %. Based on the population of untreated patients at UFL and the stroke rate for untreated patients (available from large registry data), and assuming absence of any competing/secular trend to explain the growth in AC use, we calculated that a 1.5% increase in the AC treatment percentage could result in the prevention of 1.5 strokes over one year. Conclusion: We demonstrated that an EHR alert can raise the rate of AC use in patients with AF after several rounds of PDSAs. In future efforts, we plan to reassess the AC percentage in our population and confirm the sustainability of our QI efforts as attention focuses back from the pandemic to routine cardiovascular/ preventive care.