ENN-ICS - quality assurance and online evaluation of a multilingual learning management system for sleep medicine

Abstract

With the development and implementation of a multilingual interactive communication system the e-health project ENN-ICS, funded by the European Union, aims at the improvement of health care in Europe. The field of application is sleep physiology and sleep medicine. ENN-ICS Centre offers direct access to medical information for multiple users, i.e. health authorities, health care professionals, patients and citizen. Using XML technologies the new web based network integrates advanced e-learning and e-publishing methods for the training of healthcare professionals. Editorial and distributive processes are supported by customized central editorial, content management and learning management systems (CMS, LMS). ENN-ICS e-health services are evaluated by selected user groups in North, Middle and Southern Europe using reliable and scientifically accepted validation instruments. The compliance with essential quality requirements and criteria is tested and verified by using adapted online questionnaires based on the DISCERN questionnaire for evaluating patient information, on the HON principles for evaluating health-related websites and on the GMDS catalogue of quality criteria for electronic publications in medicine. The system architecture and its exemplary applications can be used as a model for future e-health services dealing with neurological and other medical topics.

Keywords

• sleep medicine
• sleep disleep disorders
• learning management system
• e-learning
• e-health service