Septris. (February 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Evans, Kambria H.; Daines, William; Tsui, Jamie; Strehlow, Matthew; Maggio, Paul; Shieh, Lisa
• Is Part Of: Academic medicine. Volume 90:Number 2(2015)
• Publication Date: 2015-02
• Subjects: Medical education -- Periodicals; Medical policy -- Periodicals; Medical personnel -- Periodicals; Periodicals; 610.711
• DOI: 10.1097/ACM.0000000000000611
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1040-2446

Abstract

<abstract> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec> <title>Problem</title> <p>Annually affecting over 18 million people worldwide, sepsis is common, deadly, and costly. Despite significant effort by the Surviving Sepsis Campaign and other initiatives, sepsis remains underrecognized and undertreated.</p> </sec> <sec> <title>Approach</title> <p>Research indicates that educating providers may improve sepsis diagnosis and treatment; thus, the Stanford School of Medicine has developed a mobile-accessible, case-based, online game entitled Septris (<ext-link ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="http://med.stanford.edu/septris/" xlink:type="simple" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">http://med.stanford.edu/septris/</ext-link>). Septris, launched online worldwide in December 2011, takes an innovative approach to teaching early sepsis identification and evidence-based management. The free gaming platform leverages the massive expansion over the past decade of smartphones and the popularity of noneducational gaming.</p> <p>The authors sought to assess the game's dissemination and its impact on learners' sepsis-related knowledge, skills, and attitudes. In 2012, the authors trained Stanford pregraduate (clerkship) and postgraduate (resident) medical learners (n = 156) in sepsis diagnosis and evidence-based practices via 20 minutes of self-directed game play with Septris. The authors administered pre- and posttests.</p> </sec> <sec> <title>Outcomes</title> <p>By October 2014, Septris garnered over 61, 000 visits worldwide. After playing Septris, both pre- and postgraduate groups improved their knowledge on written testing in recognizing and managing sepsis (<italic>P</italic> < .001). Retrospective self-reporting on their ability to identify and manage sepsis also improved (<italic>P</italic> < .001). Over 85% of learners reported that they would or would maybe recommend Septris.</p> </sec> <sec> <title>Next Steps</title> <p>Future evaluation of Septris should assess its effectiveness among different providers, resource settings, and cultures; generate information about how different learners make clinical decisions; and evaluate the correlation of game scores with sepsis knowledge.</p> </sec> </abstract>