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Abstract

EXECUTIVE SUMMARYThis report presents the findings of the Map of Medicine study undertaken by the Institute of Clinical Education, Peninsula Medical School in collaboration with the South West Strategic Health Authority. The study had 3 objectives:Objective 1: to provide a systematic review of the national status of the Map of Medicine to determine the extent of the evidence for its impact on clinical practice. This identified a paucity of evidence in the published literature and a variable quality of the evidence that does exist. Despite this, there are some encouraging early indications for the use of the Map of Medicine within service redesign, leading to an increase in appropriate referrals to Secondary Care, decreased patient waiting times and considerable cost savings.Objective 2: to explore the Map of Medicine‟s potential in undergraduate medical education. A survey of UK medical schools found that only 1 out of 23 medical schools was using the Map of Medicine in their undergraduate curriculum at the end of 2009. When embedded within the Peninsula Medical School undergraduate medical programme, the student response was extremely positive. Students liked the Map of Medicine‟s navigability and help in accessing reliable information quickly. Use of the Map of Medicine by students grewsteadily throughout the period of the study, with the exception of during Easter and summer holidays, and peaked at 595 sessions in February 2010. There was evidence that usage by students was directly linked to curricular events, particularly problem-based learning tutorials and medical knowledge assessments.Objective 3: to explore clinicians‟ decisions to access medical information resources in the South West. The interviews showed that the most important factor influencing a clinician‟s decision to access medical information resources was speed and ease. Due to very busy schedules and short consultation times, clinicians choose to access resources that are quick and easy to access, and easy to use. Passwords acted as a significant barrier to accessing resources.Combining these observations, the study demonstrates that the Map of Medicine is finding an important niche within service redesign in UK healthcare communities and has the potential to make a significant impact as a training tool, particularly within undergraduate medical education. The Map is still not embedded widely within clinical practice in the South West, however, with only one of the 22 clinicians interviewed having used it in the precedingweek. Speed and ease of use of resources are of vital importance to clinicians and, in making evidence available to clinicians to use for the benefit of patients, the role of passwords as a significant and detrimental barrier must be recognised. The study also highlights the need for more evidence of the impact of the Map of Medicine on clinical practice within the published literature in order to support policy and resourcing decisions.

Publication Date

2010-01-01

Publisher

University of Plymouth

Deposit Date

2026-02-12

Funding

The study was funded by the NHS South West Strategic Health Authority. The funding employed a Research Fellow, Dr. Nicola Brennan, for 1 year from 2nd September 2009 – 1st September 2010.

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