Advancing clinical practice and education with a digital training platform of chest image

Introduction:There have been various systems and devices tested for their effectiveness in the education of healthcare and medical staff. A search strategy within image interpretation is a method employed to ensure that all aspects of the image have been checked for abnormal features. In addition, checklists have proven to be a valuable resource within the healthcare setting. A digital training platform, including a search strategy and eye tracking technology, and its potential impact will be discussed.Method and Materials:A digital training platform was developed which consisted of a search strategy training tool and an educational multimedia tool including eye tracking technology.Intervention participants had access to the tools for a nine month study period whilst the control group did not. Image interpretation sessions of 20 chest radiographic images were completed using eye tracking technology at the beginning and end of the study period by both the intervention and control group.Results/Discussion:The devised training package can be used by all healthcare staff when interpreting chest images. The package has the potential to improve the training and accuracy of all allied healthcare professionals and undergraduate students by encouraging them to interpret the entire image systematically. The image diagnosis formed from using the package will have a direct impact on how a patient is treated. The package could be used to increase the efficacy of reporting and ultimately allow patients to receive treatment without delay by decreasing reporting times.There remains to be vast differences in the education standards achieved by radiographers throughout Europe. Given the growth of advanced practice roles within the profession, the training platform could be used to standardise education and knowledge within the advanced practice area of chest image interpretation.Conclusion:Improved education methods and image interpretation standards could be obtained by all heathcare professions and reporting clinicians through use of the digital training platform.