Newsletter #9
MedBiquitous Consortium Newsletter #9
6 September 2002
Published by the MedBiquitous Consortium
Contents:
- Accessing MedBiquitous XML Standards
- Content Management Barn Raising
- ADL Plugfest and Competency-based CME
- Membership Update
- In the Press
1. Accessing MedBiquitous XML Standards
You can access the latest revisions to MedBiquitous XML standards through our XML Canon online repository. The repository provides a central place for MedBiquitous staff, developers, members, and business partners to access the latest versions of XML assets, and it provides a number of sophisticated tools to enhance collaborative development. Currently the repository contains XML schemas for physician member profile and metadata; in the future it will also include specifications and guidelines documents.
Developers can leverage the repository in a number of ways. If there is a need to exchange member data with another organization, use the member schema as the basis of that exchange. If you would like to have a better catalogue of your web-based content, start collecting information about your content using the metadata schema. Even if you are building your own schema to fit your organization's needs, use the components of the existing MedBiquitous schemas to make your development easier. Registration for repository access is open to the public. Visit the XML Canon Portal at http://www.medbiq.org/repository/.
2. Content Management Barn Raising
On August 15, members of the MedBiquitous Content ManagementWorking Group held a barn raising meeting to create a Metadata schema forprofessional medicine. The metadata schema will allow professionalorganizations to index their web content for better search and discovery. Inaddition, metadata fields such as subject and category can be used for thedelivery of personalized content to physicians and for content syndication tobusiness partners. The latest draft of the metadata schema is available in theMedBiquitous XML Repository. Thanks to all those who participated andcontributed their expertise!
3. ADL Plugfest and Competency-based CME
July 30 and 31, MedBiquitous Consortium staff membersattended the Advanced Distributed Learning Initiative's Plugfest 6, a gatheringof SCORM adopters and leaders in government, industry, and academia. Plugfestprovided an opportunity for the elearning community to hear about the latestadvance in the SCORM suite of elearning specifications: simple sequencing. Thenew standard allows content creators to specify rule-based course sequencingthat is not based on a proprietary tool. This means that SCORM compliantsystems can deliver learning modules in an instructionally meaningful way,customized to a learner's needs.
The simple sequencing specification could be used to support a competency-based approach to online CME. For example, an online CME course could include a pretest to assess a physician's knowledge and competencies. The course could then deliver educational modules for the areas in which the physician needs help, omitting modules for the areas in which the physician has demonstrated competency. Physicians that require further assistance after completing a module could be directed to remediation modules. For more information on SCORM and simple sequencing, visit http://www.adlnet.org/.
4. Membership Update
MedBiquitous welcomes the American Association for ThoracicSurgery (AATS) and the Institute for Medical Knowledge Implementation (IMKI) asits newest members. AATS seeks to promote and foster education and research inthe field of cardiothoracic surgery. IMKI is dedicated to translating the bestof medical care into common clinical practice by enhancing and expediting theadoption of healthcare information systems and other technologies.
5. In the Press
September's issue of Pharmaceutical Executive includes an article that describes how MedBiquitous can improve information exchange within a specialty and why online medical communities are relevant to the pharmaceutical industry. For more information, read MD Helpdesk at http://www.pharmexec.com/pharmexec/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=29982.
