This website uses cookies to enhance your experience in navigating the site, to personalize your academic tutoring, and to contribute to our research in education. By continuing, we understand that you accept the use of cookies. I Accept Cookies policy

A tool like Practicum is very useful in the public sector, where one must rationalize resources

DR. GUILLERMO MACCAGNO

Head of the Cardiology Service at the Hospital Enrique Tornú

Dr. Guillermo Maccagno is the head of the Cardiology service of the Hospital Enrique Tornú. He is 53 years old and works in the Argentine capital. He belongs to a triad of leading scientific societies in his country, including the Argentine Federation of Cardiology (FAC), Argentine Society of Cardiology (SAC), and Argentine Society of Hypertension (SAHA). In addition, he has several published works. We interview him by email and videoconference to know his impressions about Practicum Script and controlled simulation environments. 

Madrid - September 18, 2020.  As the head of a cardiology unit, you are a seasoned and experienced professional. What benefit does Practicum Script (PS) bring to you? 
I believe that the main advantage of PS is precisely the fact that it presents cases and situations that are very similar to those of daily medical practice, pushing physicians to consider differential diagnoses, while their reasoning supports with greater certainty their final diagnosis. 

Does leaving aside the format of single correct answer reinforce the confidence in decision making in the presence of the patient? 
The patient is not a question, but a combination of factors and situations that must be addressed as such. And Practicum Script helps physicians to achieve better skills in the presence of their patients. 

Which cases called your attention the most? 
The cases of congenital heart disease in adults and syncope have been interesting. It has taken me an average of 30-45 minutes to solve each case. I confess that there were many times that I had to resort to a book of cardiology or internal medicine to support a decision or diagnosis.

The simulator allows you to discuss with colleagues and observe their steps... 
The forum with colleagues is a very interesting space to listen to the opinion of other colleagues at the same time that enables us to expand our reasoning. The portfolio is extremely important because it allows us to return to the case as often as we want. 

Have you noticed any change in your way of reasoning a diagnosis? 
There is no question that any action that helps me become a better doctor will improve the care of my patients. And I think PS has improved me as a doctor. 

How do you rate continuous training and competency assessment? 
Continuous training is essential for physicians. Not only it allows us to be updated but also to exercise reason by formulating different hypotheses and/or differential diagnoses. The evaluation of competencies helps to improve the quality of medical care. 

Can the implementation of clinical reasoning help reduce the prominent stress rates of the profession? 
Undoubtedly, gaining confidence in the presence of the patient helps physicians by partially reducing the stress of the profession.

What is the context of your health care practice? Could you assess the simulator in relation to its context in health care practice?
I work as a medical cardiologist assistant at a public hospital in my country, where it would be very good to have tools to improve physicians’ reasoning, allowing them to improve the quality of care. Unfortunately, we do not have many of these diagnostic tools at my center. 

Do the private and public domains differ? 
Undoubtedly, private practice brings us closer to greater availability of diagnostic elements and types of treatments. However, a tool like PS is very useful also in the public sector, where one must rationalize resources (i.e., where you have to reason more). 

Are you aware of the rates of medical error in Argentina? 
The safety of patient care and the improvement in the quality of health care are topics that interest me greatly. I am not aware of the rates in my country simply because there are none. Undoubtedly, there are barriers that we are still struggling to break down to acquire proper awareness. Diagnostic error is one of the main problems in patient safety; therefore, a tool like PS, which presents situations similar to those seen on a daily basis, provides the physician with a very important contribution.

 

To watch this video in English turn on the subtitles and then select the language in settings

Testimonies

For me, the program is very interesting, since it allows me to sharpen my interrogation and direct it more towards a specific pathology and to have more knowledge of laboratory and cabinet exams. I think it is very important that we keep our medical sagacity throughout our practice and that in the few minutes it takes to answer any of the cases that Practicum Script presents, you acquire more knowledge.

Dr. Miguel Olivares Alcocer

Pediatrician in Guanajuato (Mexico)

I would like to express my gratitude to the Practicum Institute of Health Sciences Research for the opportunity given to Latin American physicians  to access and take different courses of our specialty for the benefit of our dear patients, in my case in Mexico. It has encouraged me to improve myself and keep abreast of the advances in Pediatrics and put into practice the knowledge acquired in the hospital where I work. Thanks friends and congratulations to this valuable team of Practicum Script Education.

Dr. Heriberto Fuentes García

Pediatrician in Sonora (Mexico)

I am grateful for this study tool that, through Nestlé and with this method, allows us to review different issues with cases that confront us in decision-making and serve us in the daily consultation.

Dr. Josué Refugio de León Padilla

Pediatrician in Jalisco (Mexico)

It is an excellent educational support platform for the pediatrician, offers very specific clinical challenges with alternatives for diagnosis and differential diagnoses, with the support of experts, a bibliography and a forum to share opinions. It's easy to navigate and it's fun, a tool that's worth using and making the most of it.

Dr. Guillermo Yanowsky-Reyes

Surgery Pediatrician in Guadalajara (Mexico)
See all the stories

Script Connect
Personalized help center

Our personalized help center enables you to obtain technical support and help for navigating through the site and using the program.

Frequently asked questions

I accept the data privacy policy