Expanding Telehealth Competencies in Primary Care: A Longitudinal Interdisciplinary Simulation to Train Internal Medicine Residents in Complex Patient Care

Background Despite increasing use of telehealth, there are limited published curricula training primary care providers in utilizing telehealth to deliver complex interdisciplinary care. Objective To describe and evaluate a telehealth curriculum with a longitudinal objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) to improve internal medicine residents' confidence and skills in coordinating complex interdisciplinary primary care via televisits, electronic consultation, and teleconferencing. Methods In 2019, 56 first- and third-year residents participated in a 3-part, 5-week OSCE training them to use telehealth to manage complex primary care. Learners conducted a standardized patient (SP) televisit in session 1, coordinated care via inter-visit e-messaging, and led a simulated interdisciplinary teleconference in session 2. Surveys measured confidence before session 1 (pre), post-session 1 (post-1), and post-session 2 (post-2). SP televisit checklists and investigators' assessment of e-messages evaluated residents' telehealth skills. Results Response rates were pre 100%, post-1 95% (53 of 56), and post-2 100%. Post-intervention, more residents were "confident/very confident" in adjusting their camera (33%, 95% CI 20-45 vs 85%, 95% CI 75-95, P < .0001), e-messaging (pre 36%, 95% CI 24-49 vs post-2 80%, 95% CI 70-91, P < .0001), and coordinating interdisciplinary care (pre 35%, 95% CI 22-47 vs post-2 84%, 95% CI 74-94, P < .0001). More residents were "likely/very likely" to use telemedicine in the future (pre 56%, 95% CI 43-69, vs post-2 79%, 95% CI 68-89, P = .001). Conclusions A longitudinal, interdisciplinary telehealth simulation is feasible and can improve residents' confidence in using telemedicine to provide complex patient care.