i-Train: a social platform for e-learning/e-training in diagnostic imaging

Introduction: Diagnostic by imaging involves a number of different techniques, allowing the caregivers to look inside a patient's body for clues about a medical condition. In most cases, a correct diagnosis relies on the ability of a medical doctor or practitioner in images interpretation, thus requiring an accurate training, a continuous skill update and a long experience to properly diagnose a condition. Unfortunately, the possibility to continuously update practitioners' skills, a peer-comparison with the aim to share own experiences, is often lacking, requiring the aid of technological advances, mainly related to internet and Web 2.0 technologies, to fill in this gap. Purpose: To develop an "E-Learning" / "E-Training" platform for health practitioners, to improve effectiveness in the clinical interpretation of medical images. The creation of a worldwide community of expert practitioners on this topic is also expected. Methods: The platform is composed of a Web-based version and a mobile App, to reach the maximum number of possible end-users. The simple login mechanisms for authentication are based on E-Mail and Social Networks. Both the E-Learning and E-Training sections rely on Web 2.0 principles, with anonymised clinical cases periodically provided by healthcare specialists. The answers collected are compared, in on-line reports, with those obtained by the other participants. Results: Both the E-Learning and E-Training sections have been implemented within the platform and, based on the results of the programmes on echocardiography, we expect to enroll at least 100 participants within the next year on the different programmes that are going to be implemented. Conclusions: Remote training programmes could reduce misinterpretation of medical images and improve skills of participants, enabling them to enter a healthcare professionals' network for peer-discussion and comparison on medical imaging. To our opinion this approach, given the good success of remote training applications in medicine, could form the basis for future add-ons in healthcare personnel formation.