BRINGING TECHNOLOGY TO LIFE: Increasing the amount of in-service medical equipment by developing a MOOC to train Biomedical Equipment Technicians in Low-/ Middle Income Countries

Abstract

Currently between 30% till 50%, some even state up to 70%, of medical and laboratory equipment is reported as out of service, due to small or large technical failures or due to missing knowledge of how to use well-functioning equipment in Low-/ Middle- Income Countries (LMIC). This is not due to the complexity of the required repair, but due to, among others, the shortage of sufficiently educated and motivated Biomedical Equipment Technicians (BMETs). This research will focus on the knowledge gap of how to use, maintain and repair medical and laboratory equipment and the missing motivation of BMETs in LMIC by setting up a Pilot Course. The objective of this research is to verify the possibility to train BMETs in LMIC with the required set of skills and knowledge with an online training and the possibility to intrinsically motivate participants to perform better within an online training, whilst taking local limitations and cultural norms and values into account. Based on the findings, a recommendation will be given for the creation of a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) to train BMETs in LMIC. In addition, if proven intrinsic motivation can be stimulated during training, the next step would be to prove intrinsic motivation to perform better on the job as BMET can be stimulated during training. In that manner, this research aims to set the first step in decreasing the large number of reported out of service medical and laboratory equipment by closing the knowledge gap and by increasing motivation among future BMETs. A Pilot Course was created educating participants with knowledge and skills required to use, maintain and repair the Patient Monitor. In addition, several surveys were spread to request expectations, feedback and general input with regards to the development of a MOOC to train BMETs. Within the Pilot Course four cohort groups were created. This research will focus on the distinction between two of the four groups; a group exposed to motivational incentives and a group not exposed to motivational incentives. This distinction must verify the possibility to intrinsically motivate participants to perform better in a Pilot Course. The Pilot Course itself, together with the surveys must give insights on how to design and setup a MOOC to train BMETs in LMIC. It was found that BMETs can indeed be educated with the set of skills and knowledge exposed to in an online training. There was no significant difference found in performance in the Pilot Course between the different cohort groups and thus no significant impact of the motivational incentives on performance detected. The completion rate was higher for the group not exposed to the motivational incentives. It was also found that the completion rate was higher among participants from South-East Asia compared to Africa, which was not caused by the different cohort groups, but by the propensity to stick to discipline coherent to the Asian culture. No other significant relations or results were found. Based on these conclusions my recommendation is to create a MOOC to train BMETs in LMIC to close the currently existing knowledge gap. When designing the MOOC, I would recommend using guidelines and recommendations presented in this research. Additionally, I recommend to further investigate the possibility to intrinsically motivate participants during training and thereby influence their behaviour to perform better as a BMET.