Carlos André Aita Schmitz

Supporting Teleconsulting with Text Mining: Continuing Professional Development in the TelehealthRS Project

In the primary care scenario, telehealth appears as an option for continuing professional development of the professionals involved. Questions submitted by physicians and its respective answers in the Brazilian health ministry telehealth platform were mined using a text mining tool. Graphs about concepts present in database were created using this tool, turning clearer subjects addressed by teleconsultants. A questionnaire, addressing the current answer methodology and possibilities with graphs, was answered by teleconsultants of a telehealth Center, the TelehealthRS Project. Answers obtained showed the importance given by teleconsultants about the current answer methodology and the conviction that graphs can turn the request answering easier and better developed. This is guiding an implementation on the current Brazilian health ministry platform that will impact in the accuracy and speed of response offered to the professional, enhancing their training and helping in the effectiveness of their continuing professional development.

TelehealthRS project: Supporting teleconsulting with text mining to improve continuing professional development

In the primary care scenario, telehealth appears as an option for continuing professional development. Questions submitted by physicians and their respective answers in the Brazilian health ministry telehealth platform were mined using a text mining tool. Graphs about the concepts present in the database were extracted using this tool, which gave a clearer view of the subjects addressed by teleconsultants. A questionnaire has been given to teleconsultants asking them about the current protocol they follow in their answering process in the TelehealthRS Project. Results showed that the graphs obtained in the mining process can make teleconsultation answering easier. A recorded interview was conducted with nine physician teleconsultants, deepening the first questionnaire topics. Their comments are now being used to guide the implementation of new features of the current Brazilian health ministry platform. This initiative should impact in the accuracy and response speed offered to professionals, improving their training and contributing to their continuing professional development.