ikonami Promotes Future-Proofing Learning Management Systems Within the Healthcare Sector

...Six important questions to help you make the right decision...

Thursday 6th August 2009 -  ikonami, a provider of bespoke learning software systems for Government, Independent Healthcare and National Health Service (NHS) organisations, today called for organisations to take proactive steps in future-proofing their learning management systems (LMS).  A whitepaper on how management can approach this critical issue can be downloaded by visiting www.ikonami.com  The whitepaper also helps identify the learning environment currently present within an organisation – and the framework that is required to meet the organisational goals. 

Arif Ahmed, Co-founder and Director of ikonami comments: "Failure to invest in the right Learning Management System could result in poor data management, inaccurate monitoring of training attendance and incorrect workforce planning.  Healthcare organisations nowadays require a system to cope with high volumes of data and staff development activities. Mergers between trusts have also led to larger organisations and the amount of mandatory training and reporting requirements in some cases has doubled.  A good LMS can automate processes to relieve the administrative burden, but in a cash-strapped NHS, with regulations changing almost on a daily basis, management are now questioning how they can ensure their investment is built to last.” 

Ikonami highlights six questions to ask when selecting an LMS vendor:

1.   Can the LMS offer remote, secure access to users in different locations?
An increase in external service provision and larger, more geographically dispersed Trusts both require flexible and robust access to training resources.  For example, many NHS organisations provide training, administration and management on behalf of non-NHS organisations such as GP Practices and dental surgeries.  A web-based LMS can offer remote, secure access to those external clients and to external training providers and partners, helping trusts develop fuller relationships with other organisations within the health economy.

2.   Does the LMS support e-learning and is it SCORM 2004 compatible?
SCORM 2004 is the latest ‘plug and play’ eLearning standard.  LMSs compatible with previous versions can only support old e-learning materials, meaning that organisations will miss out on the latest e-learning meeting current standards. This represents a potential patient safety risk.

3.   Does the LMS support self-service learning?
Even if it is not an immediate objective, select an LMS with the right functionality so the organisation does not need to replace the LMS when it adopts a self-service strategy.

4.   Does the LMS integrate with the e-KSF?
e-KSF is the optimal way to do KSF appraisals. It is already mandated in Wales and Scotland as the only way of doing KSF reviews. There are numerous operational efficiencies and time and cost savings available if the LMS can update staff Personal Development Plans in e-KSF automatically.

5.   Can the LMS be customised easily?
If so, it will offer the flexibility to be adapted to meet future needs. For example, in recent years, the adoption of self-service learning and e-learning is in greater demand to manage the needs of larger and more diverse workforces. Moreover, the drive to increase the amount of e-learning used within the NHS, which is being championed by the Department of Health, means the LMS should offer an effective platform for e-Learning delivery and tracking, automatically updating the user’s records with e-learning completions to ensure accurate compliance monitoring will also impact on what your system needs to deliver.

6.   What is the provider’s commitment to upgrading the LMS?
Future-proofing your investment means selecting a vendor committed to continuous service and technology improvement.  Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions are particularly easy to upgrade. It’s worth spending time to ensure you select a vendor that understands your organisation, and how it will change in years to come. Many unsophisticated unwittingly buy legacy products that have very limited shelf life. 

Ahmed adds: “It has been well documented that healthcare organisations and the NHS will be required to make big operational cuts and ensure more is delivered with fewer resources.  A good LMS can help quickly reduce the administrative burden, improve organisational planning and efficiency, ensure compliance and enable focused, effective HR expenditure.  As with any core IT purchase, the board will also want the system to be in place for a long time, so that they can maximise its return on investment.  Yet organisations face changing needs and challenges on a regular basis – so flexibility, robustness will be just as important too.”