Adults over the age of sixty-five are currently the fastest growing age group in the US population. It is therefore incumbent that medical providers have the proper communication and clinical skills to be able to care for this heterogeneous group. The goal of this SBIR is to produce and evaluate a CME accredited CD-ROM program designed to improve providers' communication skills when caring for older patients. The work of Phase I included: (a) developing (with a team of practicing physicians) the precise content areas of the program; (b) surveying the target audience (medical students, practicing physicians, and the directors of education at the medical schools) about their need for this type of educational program; (c) producing a prototype of the CD-ROM; (d) conducting three focus to help develop the content and ascertain level of interest and ease of use; and (e) developing an evaluation plan.
The aims of Phase II are to: 1) produce the full CD-ROM program; 2) evaluate the effectiveness of the CD-ROM in increasing knowledge and changing attitudes of primary care physicians and medical students regarding communication with older patients, 3) obtain CME accreditation and; 4) arrange for the distribution of the program.
With no competing products currently available and market potential of over 650,00 primary care physicians, 125 medical schools, and 2,500 nursing programs in the United States alone, the proposed product has tremendous commercial viability. CME accreditation and distribution will be made possible through a collaboration with Boston University School of Medicine and their alliances with distributors of medical education materials. REVIEW CRITIQUES: +________________
