eLearning For The Healthcare Industry

Posted by 24x7learning on November 28th, 2014

The Healthcare Industry is a booming industry - it is also one of the biggest industries in the world - in terms of people power. Two factors that influence the exponential growth within this industry are
(1) The increase in chronic disease, and
(2) The aging factor. 
These two factors alone have led to a rise in hospitals and a flurry of increased medical services.

The Problem: The increase in chronic disease and the aging factor have led to the despairing scenario of“more sickness and not enough care”. In an attempt to meet the ever-increasing numbers and needs of the sick, and to combat the problem of “ignorance” in the face of technology-enabled solutions in the Healthcare industry, we have seen a drastic deterioration in the services provided by this otherwise powerful and dynamic industry. There is a need for added services and more healthcare workers – but, this comes at an added cost, and today’s Healthcare Industry is not just bigger but it is also more expensive.

The Need: The need of the hour is a quick, easy, and cost-effective healthcare solution that will address the need for:
• Better care from healthcare professionals
• Increased services that will improve the quality of patient life

There is a need for a solution that:
• Will enable healthcare workers to be better and more humane health service providers
• Will provide healthcare workers with knowledge on the latest drugs, diseases, services, procedures, etc.


The solution: eLearning or online learning.

Online learning is not about frivolously downloading an online course from the internet to learn how to administer first aid. Several decades ago, this would have been online learning’s limitations. However, today, technology has led to an upsurge in eLearning. From being a $35.6 billion industry in 2011, it is all set to become a $51.5 billion industry by 2016.

The Healthcare industry is an utterly labor-intensive industry. Health workers require long training periods that are inclusive of both theory and practical training. Acute shortage of workers means that those who are available need to work extra hours. Long hours in turn mean limited time to undergo training. eLearning today is synonymous with the term “anytime, anywhere learning,” and actually allows healthcare workers to learn that way to upskill and upscale their knowledge bank.

This simple, anytime anywhere learning can also drastically reduce the risk of healthcare workers getting entangled in a medical malpractice lawsuit (incidentally, ‘medical errors’ is known to be the third leading cause for death in America).

Last year Forbes published an article that described Healthcare as turning into an industry focused on compliance, regulation rather than patient care. The article stated that “The Health Care Compliance Association alone has over a dozen different workshops on the myriad of government rules and regulations and offers a “compliance certificate board” or CCB.” – Another use for online learning. Online training on regulation compliance in the healthcare industry allows healthcare professionals to be compliant with the new and changing rules at all times, giving them more time to concentrate on patient care.

Today’s online courses include simulations, medical animations, and mobile learning/custom mlearning solutions wherein healthcare workers can access medical knowledge on drugs, procedures, diseases and more on their mobile phones.

Blended learning – another term that is synonymous with eLearning allows for both online as well as ILT (instructor-led training). This method of learning cuts down training costs while training unlimited number of learners, as well as provides learners with the best of two training methodologies (online and instructor led training).

Users of eLearning also have access to a digital library. Depending on the service providers, the library would normally include hundreds of photorealistic 3D stock images of human anatomy, organs, medical environments, anatomical systems, medical equipment, and cellular structures for download. These images may be available just for preview or downloadable.

eLearning is a one-stop solution for continued learning and access to medical records and medical data sought bythe staff of hospitals, pharmaceutical and medical device and diagnostic companies, universities, medical clinics, elderly healthcare agencies, and government healthcare agencies.
While the advantages of online learning or eLearning in the Healthcare industry are many, what stands out is the fact that eLearning is an idiosyncratic, cost effective, user-friendly method of training. And all of its collective qualities lead to better services and better care.

American politician and the junior United States Senator once said, “The goal of real healthcare reform must be high-quality, universal coverage in a cost-effective way.” This is exactly what eLearning is about. This is exactly what eLearning has given to the Healthcare industry.

For more details and case studies in healthcare and pharmaceutical industry visit: http://www.24x7learning.com/pharmaceutical-management-system/.