scholarly journals Integration of Web Analytics into Graduate Medical Education: Usability Study (Preprint)

10.2196/29748 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jackson Massanelli ◽  
Kevin W Sexton ◽  
Chris T Lesher ◽  
Hanna K Jensen ◽  
Mary K Kimbrough ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medical Education ◽  
Graduate Medical Education ◽  
Usability Study ◽  
Web Analytics ◽  
Graduate Medical

Integration of Web Analytics into Graduate Medical Education: Usability Study (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jackson Massanelli ◽  
Kevin W Sexton ◽  
Chris T Lesher ◽  
Hanna K Jensen ◽  
Mary K Kimbrough ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medical Education ◽  
Graduate Medical Education ◽  
Web Applications ◽  
Group Analysis ◽  
User Engagement ◽  
Web Analytics ◽  
Graduate Medical ◽  
Main Page ◽  
Session Duration ◽  
The Impact

BACKGROUND Web analytics is the measurement, collection, analysis, and reporting of websites’ and web applications’ usage data. While common in the e-commerce arena, web analytics are underutilized in graduate medical education. OBJECTIVE The UAMS Department of Surgery website was revamped with input from in-house surgeons in August 2017. This study investigated the use of web analytics to gauge the impact of our department’s website redesign project. METHODS Google Analytics software was used to measure website performance before and after implementation of the new website. Eight-month matched periods were compared. Factors tracked included total users, new users, total sessions, sessions per user, pages per session, average session duration, total page views, and bounce rate (the percentage of visitors who visit a site then leave [i.e. bounce] without continuing to another page on the same site). RESULTS Analysis using a non-paired Student’s t-test demonstrated a statistically significant increase for total page views (33,065 vs 81,852; p<0.0001) and decrease for bounce rate (50.70% vs 0.23%; p<0.0001). Total users, new users, total sessions, sessions per user, and pages per sessions showed improvement; average session duration was unchanged. Sub-group analysis showed that after the main page, the next three most frequently visited pages relate to GME programs in our department. CONCLUSIONS Web analytics are practical measures of a website’s efficacy. Our data suggest that a modern website significantly improves user engagement. An up-to-date website is essential for contemporary GME recruitment, will likely enhance engagement of residency applicants with our GME programs, and warrants further investigation.

Graduate Medical Education in Otolaryngology: Making Dollars and Sense of Reform

2021 ◽  
pp. 019459982110042
Author(s):  
Jenny X. Chen ◽  
Shivani A. Shah ◽  
Vinay K. Rathi ◽  
Mark A. Varvares ◽  
Stacey T. Gray
Keyword(s):  
Medical Education ◽  
Graduate Medical Education ◽  
Resident Training ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Graduate Medical ◽  
Departmental Leadership ◽  
Key Stakeholders ◽  
The Face ◽  
Funding Cuts

Graduate medical education (GME) is funded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services through both direct and indirect payments. In recent years, stakeholders have raised concerns about the growth of spending on GME and distribution of payment among hospitals. Key stakeholders have proposed reforms to reduce GME funding such as adjustments to statutory payment formulas and absolute caps on annual payments per resident. Otolaryngology departmental leadership should understand the potential effects of proposed reforms, which could have significant implications for the short-term financial performance and the long-term specialty workforce. Although some hospitals and departments may elect to reduce resident salaries or eliminate positions in the face of GME funding cuts, this approach overlooks the substantial Medicare revenue contributed by resident care and high cost of alternative labor sources. Commitment to resident training is necessary to align both the margin and mission of otolaryngology departments and their sponsoring hospitals.

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