This project seeks to develop a comprehensive, computer-based education program for primary care physicians that will improve their skills in structured substance abuse screening, brief interventions, and referral and treatment (SBIRT). The investigators will develop two online education programs based on virtual patient (VP) technology. One program will include five typical, interactive, problem-solving VPs and the second will include five identical VPs except that two VPs will have been "worked" by substance abuse experts and presented as case studies. The remaining three VPs will be "unworked" (typical VPs). The investigators hypothesize that both education programs will significantly improve educational outcomes, compared to no training, as measured by a validated survey tool. A secondary hypothesis is that physicians using the "worked" (guided learning) program will achieve similar educational results as those using the typical VP approach, but will require less training time.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
120
A brief (2-hour) interactive online training program in substance abuse (SU) management using virtual patient (VP) technology. Each learner will take one of two similar online programs involving five VPs that represent the range of SU management issues that commonly arise in clinical practice.
Medical Directions, Inc.
Tucson, Arizona, United States
Scores on The Physicians' Competence in Substance Abuse Test (P-CSAT)
The Physicians' Competence in Substance Abuse Test (P-CSAT) was developed as part of this project. Information, including a complete description of the P-CSAT, has been submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal
Time frame: Following completion of education program and 2 months later
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