Benefits of Online Learning in Health Care

More and more healthcare companies are using online learning as an effective and affordable option for compliance training requirements and continuing education. Many leaders in health care now know that online learning is just as successful as in-person, traditional training. Employees require being trained in one way or another. Each state requires employees to complete several hours of compliance-related topics including OSHA, HIPAA, fall prevention, blood-borne pathogens and fire safety. Licensed health care professionals, including administrators, nurses and social workers need CEUs to maintain their license. The question then becomes “What are the benefits of online learning”?

Benefits of Online Learning

What are the benefits of online learning? It all depends on who you’re asking. Administrators may see certain benefits, while the Director of Nursing or the HR Director may see completely different advantages. Regardless of who is listing the benefits, the literature has numerous well-documented benefits of online learning in health care. Here are some of the most commonly cited.

• Flexibility – employees can take courses at work or home, 24/7; employees can start a course and go back if they are interrupted
• Accessibility – all that is needed is Internet access
• Budget-Friendly – many leaders in health care report reduced costs after switching to online learning
• Time Saving – there is no need to continually develop new material when all course content is online
• Larger Audiences – online learning can be available to the entire company
• More Subject Matter – online learning offers a great variety of course topics and content
• Organization and Control – each company will identify system administrators or “super-users” who will assign courses, monitor employees and have access to compliance and usage reports
• Record Keeping – learning management systems track all activity – every course taken by an employee so there is no need for additional paperwork
• Up-To-Date Compliance Requirements – most learning management systems are updated to include the most current compliance requirements by state
• Conducive to all Types of Learners – visual learners, those who read or listen can all benefit from online learning

Areas Improved by Online Learning

While there are many common sense benefits to the use of online learning and learning management systems in health care, there are also a number of areas that can be significantly improved through the ongoing use of this method of training and education. Employee satisfaction can be improved by learning online. They may like it much more than meeting in a room all at one time. You may be able to recruit and retain good employees, especially licensed health care professionals who need CEUs. Employees may actually learn more through online learning and demonstrate it through better quality of care and increased patient health outcomes. It can also improve their leadership and administrative skills, communication and attitudes.

Final Words

Some healthcare companies embrace online learning while others choose traditional, in-person training and education. While there may be legitimate reasons for not choosing online learning, there certainly are many benefits associated with it. Online learning can take place anywhere, anytime. It provides a constant place for employees to go to when they have time for learning. It can save money and time. It can be appealing to all types of learning.

Administration has to sit back and do some comparing and contrasting of their current method of training and examine if there will be more benefits by switching to online learning.

More About Learning Management

• Online Learning for Healthcare Professionals