Case Study: Faculty of Medicine, MUN

The Business Challenge

The Faculty of Medicine at Memorial University of Newfoundland plays a leading role in providing professional development opportunities to the province's health care professionals. The Faculty of Medicine recognized that the professional development needs of physicians in Canada—particularly those located in rural and remote areas—could be addressed in part through the deployment of a comprehensive web portal.

The Faculty of Medicine's vision for the web portal was that it could be used to deliver accredited Continuing Medical Education (CME) courses, as well as provide additional information and tools to the intended user audience. To help realize its vision for the new portal, the Faculty of Medicine needed the assistance of a strong technology partner capable of designing, developing and successfully deploying the web portal.

Our Approach

Contracted by the Faculty of Medicine to assist them with achieving their goal, zed conducted research, interviews and discussions to identify the specific requirements for the web portal, www.MDcme.ca. zed then recommended a technical solution that would meet the needs of the target audience, as well as meet the Faculty of Medicine's own goals and objectives.

Each project we have undertaken has proven that zed provides a strong methodology, project management, and a solutions-based approach. But most of all, zed addresses the client’s needs right from the beginning of the project.

Fran Kirby
Faculty of Medicine

Based on the recommended solution, and with the support of Health Canada, the Faculty of Medicine and zed then proceeded to design, develop and deploy the MDcme.ca web portal. The delivered web portal included many features, such as: an administration module where staff can easily add or update online information; online registration, payment, and course schedules; and easy access to accredited CME course content. Designed as a comprehensive information and communications tool, the web portal also included the following additional functionality and features:

Create Your Own Web Page Online Literature Database and e-Journals Clinical Tutorials and Topics Clinical Practice Guidelines

Search Engines, Computer Technology and List Server e-Consultation e-Librarian Service My CME Manager

The Outcome

Through the implementation of the MDcme.ca web portal, the Faculty of Medicine was able to enhance efforts to retain physicians in rural and remote communities of Canada by providing greater access to distributed learning programming that addresses rural physicians’ professional development needs. The portal also decreases the likelihood that rural medical professionals will feel alienated and out-of-touch with the larger urban medical community.

About the Faculty of Medicine
As the only university-based CME office in Newfoundland and Labrador, the Faculty of Medicine is a recognized leader in the delivery of accredited Continuing Medical Education (CME) and clinical skills assessment and training. The Faculty of Medicine plays a leading role in providing professional development opportunities to the province's health care professionals, providing accredited CME to promote lifelong learning, enhance the competencies and performance of physicians, faculty and students, and to facilitate physician recruitment and retention.

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