JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Continuing medical education is important but time-consuming for general practitioners (GPs). Current learning approaches are limited and lack the ability to engage some practitioners. Serious games are new learning approaches that use video games as engaging teaching material. They have significant advantages in terms of efficiency and dissemination.

Objective:

The aim of this work was to create a serious game and to evaluate it in terms of efficiency and satisfaction, comparing it with a traditional method of continuing education - article reading.

Methods:

We produced a prototype video game called Hygie on the 5 most common reasons of consultation in general practice using 9 articles from independent evidence-based medicine journals (reviews by Prescrire and Minerva). We created 51 clinical cases. We then carried out a double-blinded randomized trial comparing the learning provided by a week of access to the game versus source articles. Participants were GPs involved as resident supervisors in 13 French University departments of family practice, recruited by email. Primary outcomes were: (1) mean final knowledge score noted on 58 points completed 3 to 5 weeks after the end of the intervention and (2) mean difference between knowledge pretest (before intervention) and posttest (3 to 5 weeks after intervention) scores, noted on 14 points. Secondary outcomes were transfer of knowledge learned to practice, satisfaction and time spent playing.

Results:

269 GPs agreed to participate in the study. Characteristics of participants were similar between learning groups. There was no difference between groups on mean score of the final knowledge test with scores of 28.3 (95% CI: 26.4-30.1) in Hygie group and 26.6 (95% CI: 24.6-28.5) in reading group (P = 0.2). There was a mean difference score between knowledge pre- and posttests, with significantly superior performance for Hygie (mean gain of 2.3 in Hygie group and 1.3 in reading group, P = 0.02), demonstrating a more efficient and persistent learning with Hygie. The rate of participants that reported to have used the knowledge they learned through the teaching material was significatively superior in Hygie group (77% in the Hygie group, 53% in the reading group, OR=2.9, 95% CI: 1.2–7.4). 87% of the opinions were favorable, indicating that Hygie is of interest for updating medical knowledge. Qualitative data showed that learner enjoyed Hygie especially for its playful, interactive, and stimulating aspects.

Conclusions:

We conclude that Hygie can diversify the offering for continuing education for GPs in an efficient, pleasant and evidence-based way. Clinical Trial: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT03486275 https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03486275