Journal of Infectious Diseases & Preventive Medicine
Open Access
ISSN: 2329-8731
+44 1300 500008
ISSN: 2329-8731
+44 1300 500008
Lauren Welch* and John Guerriero
Med Learning Group, USA
Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Infect Dis Preve Med
In 2020, Med Learning Group (MLG) launched an interactive, multi-faceted educational initiative focused on COVID-19. FRONTLINE education & tools have expanded knowledge for the healthcare community & patient populations. Learners range from infectious disease & pulmonary medicine specialists, emergency room practitioners, primary care physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants & other healthcare professionals. Our activities also target COVID-19 treatment in patients with existing conditions. MLG partnered with several associations, the VHA & academic centers to create a community of care. The initiatives were supported by independent educational grants from AbbVie, Astellas, Genentech, Lilly, Merck, Pfizer, & Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. FRONTLINE educational programs & tools enhance the learning experience, facilitate continuous learning, support the translation of education into practice, & encourage HCP-patient dialogue. Programs & tools include a Bilingual Community of Care Website/Application, a podcast series for providers & patients, live virtual teleECHO Series with 2D & 3D animations, virtual Grand Rounds with whiteboard animations, interactive patient education e-booklets & Augmented Reality tools, immersive Virtual Reality Digital Learning Labs, personalized posters & more! FRONTLINE also includes a variety of patient tools, including a podcast series and augmented reality tool, to support vaccine treatment and awareness. Results from pre/posttests, intra-activity Q&A, evaluations & 60- to 90-day follow-on assessments indicate significant changes in knowledge, competence, & practice changes. Feedback collected via online surveys & interviews on the various point-of-care tools indicates that FRONTLINE tools are valuable & promote continuous learning post-activity. FRONTLINE’s advanced tools prove to be an asset to the continuing education of HCPs treating patients with COVID-19. These innovative tools are also valuable to patients who partake in our patient-focused activities/tools. These outcomes highlight the importance of engaging education surrounding COVID-19, ever-changing treatment guidelines, & patient-specific methods.
Lauren leads Med Learning Group departments focused on educational outcomes analysis and accreditation policies and implementation. She is responsible for developing and reporting on the outcomes of our educational activities, analyzing impact on knowledge, practice, and collaboration with patients and their care teams. Reviewing outcomes across the life of MLG's programs, Lauren provides input to the program management team to ensure content and learning formats are meeting learning objectives, addressing system-based needs, and ultimately helping physicians improve patient care. Lauren also maintains Med Learning Group accreditation department, ensuring all activities are compliant with ACCME requirements and are conducted within the spirit of the guidelines with a focus on improving patient care. Before joining Med Learning Group, Lauren worked with the Department of State for eight years. Lauren contributed to the development of the annual U.S foreign assistance budget, with a particular focus on programs in health and education. While in South Asia, Lauren helped implement healthcare support in countries across the region, and justified budget requests for international health programs to the U.S. Congress. Lauren holds a MA in International Development Studies.