Background: Simulation training is commonly used in aviation and engineering industries, but acceptance of the technology by medical providers is unknown.
Objective: To evaluate physician satisfaction with a diabetes simulation-based learning program.
Methods: SimCare Diabetes was developed for a randomized trial and consisted of 18 distinct learning cases, an interactive web-based care management interface, an evidence-based physiologic model to simulate outcomes of provider actions, and a rules-based library of feedback to critique actions taken by the provider. 19 residency programs with 341 consented primary care residents were randomized to learning intervention (n=177) or control (n=164). 94 intervention subjects completed a satisfaction survey consisting of questions pertaining to general and specific SimCare Diabetes features. Open-ended responses to questions about features considered most valuable and areas for improvement were categorized using qualitative methods with team consensus.
Results: Likert-scale survey responses were favorably higher than neutral for general satisfaction (92%), recommending to colleagues (92%), training adequacy (90%), navigation ease (94%), blood sugar displays (87%), drug info and help links (75%), goal progress graphs (49%), and feedback received (80%). 49% reported difficulty finding time to do cases. Out of 87 open-ended responses, the most valuable things learned were categorized as insulin management (n=35), general diabetes management (n=23), goal-setting and achievement (n=10). Areas for improvement were most often categorized as software enhancements (n=34) and nothing bad to report (n=27).
Conclusion: A simulated learning program was highly rated by primary care residents and almost all would recommend it to colleagues. Additional analysis to show effectiveness is needed.