MedLern Revolutionizes Medical Training with Innovative Technology and Global Collaborations
CXOToday has engaged in an exclusive interview with Deepak Sharma, Co-founder & CEO of MedLern
- What is HeartCode® Complete and how does it work?
Research suggests that on an average, new knowledge in healthcare is doubling every 73 days today. Based on latest research insights combined with best practices and methods evolved out of health emergencies and incidences around the world, HeartCode® Complete is a globally-proven and most updated resuscitation program that has been co-developed and powered by American Heart Association (AHA) and Laerdal Medical technology. The programme includes three modules: Basic Life Support or BLS, Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) and Paediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS). Focused on improving the quality of healthcare delivery by spreading knowledge through technology, MedLern is collaborating with RQI Partners to deliver HeartCode Complete BLS, ACLS and PALS through RQI-P GO training solutions to hospitals in India.
- Which technology is utilized to deliver instructorless programs?
Some of the technologies that have been utilized to deliver instructorless programs include AI, Augmented Reality (AR) & Virtual Reality (VR), interactive video-based learning and Learning Management Systems (LMS). For instance, chatbots, a product of AI technologies, uses advanced algorithms and natural language processing to not only provide for individualized and adaptive learning experiences accounting for the learner’s pace, preferences, and performance, but also gives instant feedback, recommendations, and support to learners. Similarly, AR/VR technologies have been used to create immersive and engaging self-paced learning experiences simulating real-world scenarios. With interactive simulations, virtual labs, and simulations, learners can develop real-world practical skills and expertise. In the same way, interactive videos incorporating interactive elements such as clickable hotspots, quizzes and branching scenarios, are an impactful method of self-learning and even offers real workplace-based decision-making opportunities for learners. Then Learning Management System or LMS apart from providing for self-paced learning, it facilitates a range of activities from the provider’s point of view including administration, documentation, tracking, reporting, and delivery of educational courses, training programs, or learning and development programs.
- Are Indian healthcare professionals prepared for instructorless online training?
Yes definitely. With digital technologies along with virtual medium increasingly becoming a more acceptable platform for learning, Indian healthcare professionals are ready to go beyond the instructor-led virtual learning and training. In other words, with the instructorless online training, they wish to hyper-personalize their learning experiences, something that is limited in the instructor-led virtual leaning format.
- Besides India, where has this training been provided?
Besides India, this training is being provided in the US.
- What improvements have been observed in medical facilities after utilizing Medlern’s services?
In the medical facilities that have made use of Medlern’s services so far, all of them have reported a marked improvement in the way their staff not only manages patient care but also in organizing and managing the workflows within the facility. For facilities where its personnel received training in emergency and lifesaving programs, they have reported improved response times, adequate response management leading to much-reduced instances of worsening of patient conditions and deaths. As an end-to-end learning management platform, Medlern has also helped the hospitals in streamlining their compliance training, recruitment, hiring and onboarding. In fact, it has been estimated that by way of opting for Medlern’s services, the cost of training of personnel for hospitals is reduced to less than half. Moreover, there is up to 60% savings in faster time to productivity or onboarding to productivity (OTP) of personnel. In a short span of time, we have become a trusted partner for more than 310 hospitals and 83,000 healthcare professionals.
- Can you provide information on Medlern’s partnerships and collaborations, both in India and globally?
MedLern has partnered with some of the prestigious associations and content providers globally. Some of our key collaborations are with RCNi (a subsidiary of Royal College of Nursing (RCN)), Emergency Nurses Association (ENA), BMJ, echelon, Pedagogy Education, and Lecturio. For BLS/ACLS/PALS training, MedLern has collaborated with RQI Partners (a partnership between the AHA and Laerdal Medical).
- How can educational institutions benefit from the future of Medtech with ChatGPT?
Although ChatGPT has become extremely popular from the standpoint of students, teachers, researchers as well as a section of technology enthusiasts including the medtech community, it would be premature to take a long-term view on this. However, for now, I am certain that it would help medical educational institutions create learning material and content with inputs from the best of primary and secondary sources existing on the internet. In fact, it would also help medical teachers engage better with their students in terms of devising assessment and testing material as well as generating explanations and descriptions. With ChatGPT enabling a more human-like thinking and processing, there would be more creative and fruitful exchange of ideas among medtech researchers from across the world thereby leading to better research outcomes. It is hugely encouraging that ChatGPt has successfully cleared all three parts of the US Medical Licensing Examination.
- Could you give an overview of Medlern’s technology and services?
With AI, Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) technologies forming the core of its products and services, Medlern is an end-to-end learning and skill development platform aimed at delivering world-class medical training and upskilling services to medical students as well as working professionals. In addition to having a highly intuitive learning management system (LMS), it has well-designed internationally-recognized training material and programmes the delivery of which is both time and location-agnostic. In fact, it is a mobile-first 24/7 learning service provider. Some of the top global content providers that Medlern has tied up with include American Heart Association (AHA), RCNi (a subsidiary of the Royal College of Nursing UK), Emergency Nurses Association (ENA), British Medical Journal (BMJ) Learning, and Lecturio, among others. In addition, it offers an exhaustive range of modules for compliance, employee induction, continuing professional development, and soft-skills training – all especially designed for healthcare personnel and students at hospitals and medical colleges.
- What sets Medlern apart from other companies in the med-tech market?
What really sets Medlern apart from other medtech companies is that it has taken tech-based medical learning and upskilling several notches higher by catering to the needs of not only individual students and professionals but also hospitals and medical educational institutions. Its instructorless resuscitation programme on Basic Life Support or BLS, Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) and Paediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) co-developed and powered by American Heart Association (AHA) and Laerdal Medical technology, has been particularly received very well by medical educational institutions as well as hospitals and healthcare facilities. As earlier mentioned, by engaging with Medlern’s platforms and services, for healthcare facilities, while the cost of training goes down by less than half, there is up to 60% savings in faster time to productivity or onboarding to productivity (OTP) of personnel.
- How has Medlern adapted to meet the changing needs of the healthcare industry, particularly with the increased adoption of telemedicine and virtual care during the pandemic?
With Covid precipitating an all-out pivot to the digital platforms and channels, there is no doubt that there is a need for an extraordinarily large number of healthcare professionals, and at all levels of care delivery, who should also be adequately trained in using digital technologies and assets. Looking to the future, MedLern has continuously revamped its underlying technologies and platforms that can deliver quality training to a greater number of learners than before. At the same time, it has also refined and updated content and training material to serve patients requiring chronic care management, basic life support, critical and emergency care, sectors that would require an increased attention in the post-Covid period. In fact, MedLern has even brought to the market digital training and upskilling programmes for healthcare personnel of all levels, much in-demand courses in the aftermath of the pandemic.
