Playing Cards on Asthma Management: a New Interactive Method for Knowledge Transfer to Primary Care Physicians

Objectives: To describe an interactive playing card workshop in the communication of asthma guidelines recommendations, and to assess the initial evaluation of this educational tool by family physicians.

Design: Family physicians were invited to participate in the workshop by advertisements or personal contacts. Each physician completed a standardized questionnaire on his or her perception of the rules, content and properties of the card game.

Setting: A university-based continuing medical education initiative.

Participants: Primary care physicians.

Main Outcome Measures: Physicians' evaluation of the rules, content and usefulness of the program.

Results: The game allowed the communication of relevant asthma-related content, as well as experimentation with a different learning format. It also stimulated interaction in a climate of friendly competition. Participating physicians considered the method to be an innovative tool that facilitated reflection, interaction and learning. It generated relevant discussions on how to apply guideline recommendations to current asthma care.

Conclusions: This new, interactive, educational intervention, integrating play and scientific components, was well received by participants. This method may be of value to help integrate current guidelines into current practice, thus facilitating knowledge transfer to caregivers.