Situation

Insomnia is the most commonly reported sleep problem. It is a highly prevalent disorder that often goes unrecognized and untreated despite its adverse impact on health and quality of life.

Our challenge was to maximize diagnosis and treatment of insomnia in the primary care setting.

Solution

Research shows that online, case-based continuing medical education achieves long-term improvements in clinical behaviours. They are also highly accessible to many target audiences and suitable for wide dissemination.

We developed SLEEPTREE™ an online case-based CME learning experience. SLEEPTREE™ is devoted to enhancing skills for critical clinical decisions around patients with insomnia. Although not representing any particular set of practice guidelines, an attempt was made to utilize the latest published guidance and recommendations by key leaders and practitioners in the field of sleep medicine.

Results

The result was a highly interactive computer simulation that guides the user through a series of decision options, from diagnosis of insomnia and consideration of various comorbidities to treatment options - both pharmacologic and behavioural. With the need to include and enhance sleep discussions in primary care practices, the tool was dedicated to the practitioner interested in enhancing skills around diagnosis and treatment of insomnia.