The pilot study tested the implementation of technology-enabled academic detailing (TEAD) for family practice physicians in British Columbia, aiming to assess its effectiveness and identify areas for improvement. Overall, both academic detailers and physicians expressed high satisfaction with the sessions, noting advantages such as scheduling flexibility and effective content delivery; however, differences in perceptions of engagement and satisfaction with technology were observed. The findings indicate the potential of TEAD to enhance the physician-pharmacist relationship while highlighting the need for better interactivity strategies and contingency plans for technical issues.

1. Piloting the process of technology
enabled academic detailing:
Lessons for integration
Cordeiro, J., Novak Lauscher, H., Amari, E.,
Newton, L., Chong, X, and Ho, K.
eHealth Strategy Office, Faculty of Medicine, UBC

2. Background:
Piloting the
Process of TEAD

3. Physician Academic Detailer (Pharmacist)
TEAD
• BC Provincial Academic Detailing (PAD) service provides:
• Academic detailing for family practice physicians and other health care professionals
• Balanced, evidence-informed drug information on best prescribing practices
• Technology enabled academic detailing (TEAD) utilizes technology, like web-
conferencing, to help facilitate academic detailing sessions.
PURPOSE OF PILOT STUDY
1. To test the implementation of TEAD in a real context
2. To identify areas of strength and improvement in TEAD

4. Approach:
Engaging
physicians
and
academic detailers

5. Participants were recruited from across the 5 regional B.C. health authorities and
included:
• Nine (9) academic detailing pharmacists
• Eighteen (18) family practice physicians
• Physicians were contacted
through email and invited to
trial a TEAD session with an
academic detailer to test the
technology and the process of
TEAD.

6. • The academic detailers were trained to use the web-conferencing technology.
• A process for booking and conducting TEAD sessions was developed.
• Interested physicians were matched up with the academic detailers in their health
authorities.
• In total, eighteen TEAD sessions were scheduled.

7. Of the 18 physicians who participated:
• 58% of physicians were 55 years of age
or older, 25% were between 45-54 55-64
years of age, and 17% were between 45-54
35-44 years of age. 35-44
• Average of 28.7 years experience in
practice
Male
• 85% were male, and 15% female
Female
• 85% had no previous online session
experience
Data was collected from all users- both the academic detailers and the physicians.
• Academic detailers: Online post-session surveys and focus group
• Physicians: Online post-session surveys and follow-up telephone interviews

8. Results:
By the Numbers

9. Satisfaction with Pilot Sessions
5
4.5
4
3.5
Score
3 Academic Detailer
Physician
2.5
2
1.5
1
Likelihood of Uptake Web Conferencing Tool Content Physician Engagement Global Satisfaction
Upon completing pilot TEAD sessions, the academic detailers and physicians
completed online post-session surveys. Five satisfaction areas were included:
• Likelihood of uptake
• Satisfaction with the web conferencing tool (WebEx)
• Detailing content
• Engagement/ participation of the physician in the session
• Global satisfaction
The largest differences between the physician and academic detailer groups were
satisfaction with the web conferencing tool (WebEx), perception of engagement, and
global satisfaction.

10. Engagement During the Session
5.00
4.50
4.00
3.50
Score
3.00 Academic Detailer
Physician
2.50
2.00
1.50
1.00
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Academic Detailer and Physician Pairs
• Discussion-based delivery (versus didactic presentation) is integral to achieving
learning outcomes of academic detailing sessions.
• Comparatively, physicians were more satisfied with the amount of participation
they were afforded in TEAD sessions than academic detailers were with physician
participation, although, both groups showed high satisfaction with engagement on
average.

11. Webconferencing Tool
5.00
4.50
4.00
3.50
Score
3.00 Academic Detailer
Physician
2.50
2.00
1.50
1.00
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Academic Detailer and Physician Pairs
• The physicians were more satisfied with the web conferencing tool than academic
detailers as a way of connecting for the session.
• In the academic detailer focus group, this difference was attributed to the extra
responsibility academic detailers have to ensure that the technology is working
properly.

12. Global Satisfaction
5
4.5
4
3.5
Score
3 Academic Detailer
2.5 Physician
2
1.5
1
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Academic Detailer and Physician Pairs
• Overall satisfaction with TEAD sessions was high for the physicians, showing that
TEAD as a service is appealing to this target group.
• However adding technology to the way academic detailing information is delivered
poses challenges unique to the academic detailers by way of in session engagement
strategies and ensuring the technology is functioning properly.

13. Results:
Conversations with
the Participants

14. • In individual interviews, the physicians mentioned…
• Using technology for receiving education…
• Flexibility in the scheduling was the biggest benefit. The ability to schedule the
session in their own time and do the session from home created a relaxed and
receptive educational environment.
• Presentation method was clear and effective for presenting the clinical detailing
content.
• Lessons for using the technology…
• Clear and simple audiovisuals should
be used when delivering the clinical
content online.
• Give more control of the online
meeting window should be given to the
learners so they can move between
slides, pages and documents.
• Send electronic copies of materials
which learners can print or save for
later.

15. • In a focus group, the academic detailers discussed…
• Using technology for delivering academic detailing…
• Feelings of limited interaction using the web conferencing tool.
• Differences in the dynamics and flow of the session when doing TEAD.
• Changing some content and materials to optimize display online.
• Lessons for technological support…
• A variety of modes of support has been
used to work through technical problems
and adapt/ generated solutions.
• Modification and help with navigating
conventional IT systems is required for
TEAD, as it is a novel and innovative
program.
• A Contingency Plan was developed to
ensure alternatives are offered to
physicians in a timely manner when any
technical problems emerge during
scheduled sessions.

16. Conclusions:
A Discussion of
the Findings

17. Physician Academic Detailer (Pharmacist)
TEAD
1. Even though the two groups of users have a different perspectives, TEAD can be
efficient for physicians and pharmacists alike.
2. Additional strategies, such as using a webcam to help foster interactivity, need to
be developed and implemented to aid in engagement.
3. A clear contingency plan is needed for when “the technology doesn’t work.”
4. Technology can be used to enable and extend the reach of academic detailing in
many ways (e.g., online community, mobile devices, apps for decision support, 3D
barcodes for info resources…).

18. Physicians Academic Detailers (Pharmacists)
The physician-pharmacist relationship is the heart of academic detailing.
TEAD is more than an online version of a face-to-face session – current and
emerging technologies offer many ways to support the relationship.

19. Additional
Information:
Other pieces

20. The TEAD project team would like to thank:
• BC PAD academic detailers
• Participating physician
• Pharmaceutical Services Division, BC Ministry of Health for funding
For more information about the BC PAD Service visit: www.bcpad.ca
For more information about the eHealth Strategy Office:
Or visit http://ehealth.med.ubc.ca/