Online Educational Platforms for Doctors and Nurses

With the digital transformation that COVID-19 has accelerated, education has moved online.

Medical staff need to remain informed and updated on their field and while books do offer updates, the internet is the new tool offering all types of educational sources for everyone. Due to this, startups and entrepreneurs trying to compile and provide the most trustworthy and quality information has led to the creation of online platforms with exclusive content for medical staff to nurture their practice and share their experiences.

MBN interviewed Wolters Kluwer, a global information services company that provides integral solutions on health learning, research and practice. “These materials are a support resource for doctors, which include translated records of the most common ailments. As a result, doctors can access basic information to support their diagnosis,” said. Director of Research and Practice Mariano Martin. For countries like Mexico, translated material is key to be inclusive. “We have realized that the nursing staff in Mexico normally do not fully understand technical material in English and even doctors could struggle. To provide a quick and easy to access service, it is best for the medical staff to have translated materials,” said Martin. The subscription-based model of Wolters Kluwer allows medical staff to access clinical information and also, pharmaceutical resources from renowned companies that the platform has partnered with. Martin highlighted that normally, accessing those resources is very expensive and institutions can hardly offer that opportunity, which is why the company created accessible subscription models for doctors and nurses.

4Doctors and 4Nurses is another educational platform with scientific information for medical professionals. During an interview with MBN, Jordi Albarate, Founder of 4Doctors, mentioned the opportunities that the platform offers. “Our platform allows quick and easy access to all our informational content, courses, webinars, clinical cases, expert recommendations and web publications,” said Albarate. Especially in Mexico, there is a high demand for aesthetic medicine and cardiology and this is why the platform integrates local doctors from the different countries and regional content that can be used in different parts of the world and be relevant in different contexts. According to Albarate, “4Doctors’ model is based on personal subscriptions or scholarships. We offer scholarships through the pharmaceutical industry, which sponsors subscriptions for doctors and nurses. We are speaking with hospitals to create a specific scheme so companies can subscribe and pay as an institution.” This model might be of special worth for Mexico because “the country has many doctors working on rural communities who lack access to congresses or events and need other ways to keep up with the latest trends,” said Albarate.

According to Deloitte, tools like these allow continuity of medical education and help physicians maintain their skills and learn about developing areas in their field. These new platforms are a way to connect doctors, allow them to work together and share their valuable experiences.