How Many Lives Will You Save? A Mixed Methods Evaluation of a Novel, Online Game for Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Education

Abstract

Medical trainees have limited knowledge of quality improvement and patient safety concepts. The authors developed a free quality improvement/patient safety educational game entitled Safety Quest (SQ). However, 1803 undergraduate medical trainees, graduate medical trainees, and continuing medical education learners globally completed at least 1 level of SQ. Pre- and post-SQ knowledge and satisfaction were assessed among continuing medical education learners. Thematic analysis of feedback given by trainees was conducted. Among graduate medical trainees, SQ outranked other learning modalities. Three content areas emerged from feedback: engagement, ease of use, and effectiveness; 87% of comments addressing engagement were positive. After completing SQ, 98.6% of learners passed the post-test, versus 59.2% for the pretest (P < 0.0001). Ninety-three percent of learners agreed that SQ was engaging and interactive, and 92% believed it contributed to their professional growth. With an increased need for educational curricula to be delivered virtually, gamification emerges as a unique strategy that learners praise as engaging and effective.