>> eHospital

1. >> eHospital e-learning opportunities for adult patients during hospitalisation in health-care institutions FEPI Conference 2007 Cavtat, 25-28 September 2007

2. A project funded by the European Commission‘s Socrates / Grundtvig programme Duration: 1.10 2005-30.9.2008 eHospital e-learning opportunities for adult patientsduring hospitalisation in health-care institutions

3. die Berater, Austria (Coordinator) Donau-Universität Krems, Austria Bildungswerk der Sächsischen Wirt- schaft, Germany Academy of Management Łodzi, Poland CESGA, Spain Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Spain ORT France Ynternet.org, Switzerland (associated partner) eHospital partners

4. die Berater Our competences • Soft skills trainings • IT trainings • Language courses • Coaching • Outplacement • Consulting • Job seeker seminars • EU projects Some facts • Training and consulting company • 400 members of staff • around 50 branches in Austria • ca. 16.000 participants per year • 15.500 m² training facilities • tailor-made seminars Our approach • The person is most important • Fair Play • Social responsibility

5. Lifelong learning for all is a declared policy aim of the European Union and its member states. One group of adults has been denied access to learning, though: Patients who are forced to spend a longer period at hospital due to severe or chronic illness. However, the potential benefits of learning activities during hospitalisation are undisputable… Learning at hospital can help coping with isolation open a window to the outside world ease reintegration into normal life and thus potentially contributes to patients‘ mental and physical convalescence. Learning while at hospital?

6. Computer-assisted learning has a great potential in this specific educational context. Hospital patients are restricted in their mobility and can therefore profit from being independent on the time-space coordinates of conventional face-to-face learning. Social interaction and joint learning activities with peers become possible with the help of virtual tools. Why e-learning?

7. The starting point of eHospital A successful national project which started at a children‘s hospital in Vienna and is now implemented in several hospitals all-over Austria ECDL for children suffering from cancer

8. eHospital: Corner stones • Experience from the ECDL projects with young cancer patients:Learning can produce an enormous emotional boost for long-term patients. • In many European countries there are hospital schools for school-age children, but there are no learning provisions for adult patients. • Transfer of the experience from the ECDL projects to • other age groups (adults) • other patients groups • other learning topics • other countries • Investigation of the potential of e-learning for patient education • Academic evaluation of the learning activities by two universities

9. Desk research:Valuable lessons can be learned from the experience gained in successful e-learning projects at hospital schools for children: This existing experience is examined and adapted to the learning needs of adult patients. Pilot courses:Local e-learning courses for different groups of patients have been designed and tested in Austria, Germany, Poland, Spain, France, and Switzerland. Evaluation:The adequacy of the e-learning tools used and the effects of the courses on the patients are carefully evaluated. Guidance for trainers:For the first time guidance materials for adult educators who wish to work in hospitals will be developed. Dissemination:The project results will be presented at an international dissemination conference in spring 2008. What the eHospital project is doing The main activities of the project between October 2005 and September 2008:

10. Analysis: State of the Art of pat-ient education in Europe Planning and implementation of local e-learning projects in 5 countries Best Practice Evaluation Tools for e-learning in hospitals e-learning platform e-learning content Handbook for educators Recommendations, Methodologies and examples of e-learning activities in hospitals Project framework

11. eHospital: The Austrian course • In cooperation with AKH Vienna • 15-25 year-old patients of neuro-oncology, neuro-paediatrics, epilepsy, cardiology, dialysis • Patients after brain surgery with severe cognitive impairments (reduced memory, short attention span) • Long periods of hospitalisation or day patients • Disrupted school education and / or vocational training • No educational offers in hospital after end of compulsory school • Challenge: Entry into labour market • Topic: Job Perspectives • What is e-learning? • Career decisions • Work: labour market, unemployment, job-hunting… • Job application training • Soft Skills: Personal strengths and weaknesses, defining aims, communication…

12. eHospital: The other courses Alzheimer patients Basic IT and internet skills Patients with lung diseases Languages for travelling Information management Patient groups & topics Patients with spinal cord injuries Digital literacy for re-entry in the labour market Elderly patients Maintaining physical and mental mobility Patients with temporary mental health problems History of art &creativity Patients in soft psychiatric treatment The art of profiling on the web

13. Are you an adult educator or e-learning facilitator? Do you want to develop and offer learning activities for hospital patients? Or are you a health professional and do you want to introduce educational activities in your hospital? A research report on the state of the art of educational activities in European hospitals A documentation of successful e-learning projects in hospitals A learning management system and course content adapted to the needs of e-learning in hospital A guidance publication for adult educators wishing to work in hospitals (2008) What eHospital offers to you If you answer one of these questions positively eHospital may have interesting products for you: Please visit our website: www.ehospital-project.net

14. First evaluation results • The diverse learning offers were very much appreciated by all patient groups and hospital staff involved:E-learning for hospital patients is wanted and accepted! • The personal relationship between patient learner and tutor is crucial.E-learning in hospitals needs frequent and intensive face-to face contacts:Only blended learning can be a successful e-learning strategy. • “Learning achievements“ can occur at different levels:acquisition of new skills improving employability – learning for personal fulfilment – increase of motivation and mental strength – activity diverting attention from illness.Each type of learning achievement is equally valuable!

15. First evaluation results • Learning provisions must be extremely flexible and individualised with regard to • content • duration • intensity of the course offered. • Keys to flexibility are IT-supported learning and modularisation. • Close cooperation between e-learning providers / tutors and hospital staff is necessary.Various groups of staff are concerned: medical – nursing- psychological – educational – administrative - technical.Hospital staff has an important role in selecting and motivating patients, organising learning times, supporting learners, giving information and feedback to tutors.

16. E-learning in Hospitals: critical points • It is crucial that the top management of the hospital fully sup-ports the learning project: A formalised cooperation contract and the appointment of contact persons within the hospital are useful. • Staff in hospitals often work under extreme pressure of time and emotional strain. This needs to be taken into account when planning the cooperation. Necessary meetings ought to be integrated in the existing hospital routine and should not produce additional strains. Feasible communication channels should be defined early. • The average duration of hospitalisation is decreasing due to financial restraints of the health system. To engage in e-learning makes only sense if patients • are hospitalised for at least two weeks or • return for short spells or as day patients within a longer period of time

17. E-learning in Hospitals: critical points • Providing tailor-made blended learning to hospital patients is rather expensive because of • High fluctuation of patients and • Therefore usually small numbers of participants at a given point of time • the need for individualisation and • Intensive face-to-face contacts • Different financing models appear possible in different contexts • Sponsoring through patients’ associations or companies • Public funding • Funding by hospital in order to increase its attractiveness • Fees paid by patients

18. Support of convalescence Best use of time New competences Emotional wellbeing Enhancement of employability Entertainment & fun Distinction from competitors Image and reputation of hospital High patient satisfaction Arguments for e-learning in Hospitals The idea of e-learning in hospitals is still new and needs active promotion among stakeholders of the health system! Arguments

19. Holger BIENZLE Head EU Departement die Berater Wipplingerstrasse 32 A-1010 Vienna Tel.: +43/1/7324545-1162 Fax: +43/1/7324545-1145 e-mail: h.bienzle@dieberater.com www.dieberater.com www.ehospital-project.net Contact