Everything You Need to Know about Online CME Course Hosting

Online learning is one of the most significant professional development breakthroughs of the last generation. Early course structures were clunky and difficult to navigate; now, you may be surprised at what you can accomplish with the right tools.

Online course hosting may feel like a daunting experience, but with a few shifts in your thinking and new platform integrations, you can design, host, and track an online CME course that attracts and retains top talent.

How Online CME Courses Have Evolved

Delivering an online course used to be a boring series of PDFs with endless multiple-choice questions—no excitement and no retention. Even with such dull material, online formats were a time-wasting headache for administration. Now, online course hosting can provide a meaningful experience for learners while preserving the administration’s productivity.

Dynamic Learning

You can easily embed multimedia content, keeping learners engaged and bringing life to the material. You can also encourage collaboration, despite the online format, through well-crafted discussion boards and group projects.

A dynamic, learner-centered online course improves learning outcomes. Technology helps facilitate course delivery, but it only goes so far. Learner-centered learning, including rich media content and collaborative learning, can motivate learners and provide positive learning experiences.

Automatic Tracking

It was difficult in the past to keep track of what learners had taken and what courses had been effective. Now, efficient infrastructure allows administrators to send interval-based follow-ups and reminders to check in with learners and track their progress. They also have automatic assessment records to make record-keeping easier.

One of the most significant challenges that administrators face with online course hosting is keeping track of certificates. With new online delivery methods, however, learners have direct access to their completed certificates and the ability to self-print, relieving the office of such simple but time-consuming tasks.

Improved Course Delivery

You can choose from multiple course delivery options, giving your learners a professional development experience that fits their career needs and your institution’s focus. These courses are budget friendly and allow the course host to customize the experience.

Common Issues with Online CE

So, what’s standing between you and your dream online courses? Certain obstacles that old online formats ran into frequently can derail even the most idealistic online course hosting plans. Here are common issues with old online courses and solutions to consider.

Learners aren’t engaged

Nothing kills professional development like boring content. Instead of forcing learners to consume dull material, take advantage of new online infrastructure. Consider delivery choices, assessment options, and interval-based follow-up. Use media-rich content and require collaboration among learners.

Administration isn’t supportive

If the mention of hosting a professional development course online causes the administration to go into a freefall, it’s time to introduce automated course infrastructure.

Provide automation tools to reduce the load on the back office. Track and maintain progress automatically for certifications. Send automatic reminders and follow-ups, reducing mundane work for the administration. Learners get the benefit of self-service certifications and verifications.

There is no long view

Cheap online options or poorly planned ones can cost your institution in the long run. If you don’t deliver meaningful professional development, your top talent may not stay. The soft costs of managing professional development can also be expensive.

Newer course infrastructure gives you better delivery and learner-centered course creation. With each hosted course, you also get the data to move forward with further follow-ups and to hone course delivery for your institution.

Online course hosting designed for your institution and the needs of your staff gives you a better return because learners can immediately apply new certifications for treatments and patient care. This is your chance to take charge of the long-term direction of your institution.

Hosting Your Online Course

You’ve decided to host your course, and the new formats of course delivery and infrastructure provide you with many options. However, there are still a few things you need to do before, during, and after your course delivery.

Before delivery:

• Allow learners to check instructor credentials. Learners want to know who is delivering their course to build trust and engagement. They must have resources to independently choose and evaluate courses.
• Choose topics for career advancement, not just the latest cool thing. There’s a time and place for studying hot topics, but ensure that most of your course offerings have direct value to the learner and their home institution.
• Customize learning to the institution to attract and retain talent. Professional development helps reduce churn and acquire top talent. Keep this in mind for a consistent course experience.

During delivery:

• Allow collaboration and dynamic research. Keep learners engaged through productive multimedia formats and collaborative learning.
• Choose automation. As learners progress through the learning process, the programs send automatic reminders and follow-up, giving the administration a break from keeping up with this process.

After delivery:

• Provide self-service certificates. Learners should be able to find and print certifications any time they need them.
• Follow up to create new courses. Automation gives you straightforward data for crafting future professional development courses.

Hosting Better Online Courses

Continuing education remains a differentiator in the workplace. As the medical profession expands, attracting top talent is more competitive. Building a course that meets the needs of your medical staff is a vital part of reducing churn and remaining competitive.

Online course hosting is simple with the right tools and a supportive infrastructure. We can help you create a dynamic professional development experience that your medical staff will appreciate. Now is the time to rethink how you can deliver professional development and use the right tools for a better return.

To learn how EthosCE can enhance the continuing education of your medical professionals, request a free 1-on-1 demo with one of our specialists today!