TCS builds learning platform for Royal College of Physicians of Ireland
The Royal College of Physicians of Ireland has partnered with Tata Consultancy Services to deliver an online community to support its members’ continued education from anywhere across the globe. TCS will leverage its TCS iON Digital Learning Platform for the task, which includes tools for collaboration through mobile, online courses and digital assessments.
Established in 1654, as a college for the education and training of doctors, The Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (RCPI) supports professional doctors keep up-to-date regarding changes within the professional knowledge base, as well as practices and regulations. The organisation has 10,000 Fellows, Members, Licentiates and Trainees working across 26 medical specialities in 84 countries, and further houses six of the thirteen post-graduate training facilities in Ireland.
As part of its ‘Strategic Plan 2015 – 2020’, the RCPI is seeking to create a global online community platform from which it can support the continuous education of its members across the globe. To support the creation of the online community the RCPI has struck a consulting and IT partnership with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS).
The platform, called 'The Physician Network', will be based on TCS's iON Digital Learning Platform and support the creation of ‘common-interest communities’ through which doctors will be able to share best-practice and collaborate with each other from across geographical boundaries and across devices. In addition, the partnership will see the digitalisation of the assessment process, ending the need for paper based assessments as well as reducing costs and adding efficiencies. Many of the RCPI courses are also going to be provided through the service, such as online courses.
Over the past months a combined project team has worked closely together to gain insight in the key requirements ('need assessment'), says Leo Kearns, CEO of RCPI, and the team is currently translating those needs into technological solutions. Building of the solution has also been kicked off.
"Our network of doctors is our greatest asset which is why we are committed to their professional development, through both online courses and through collaborative knowledge exchange, so that new ideas and techniques and discoveries can be readily shared and adopted globally," comments Kearns.
He adds that with the move, the institution aims at "remaining at the forefront of an emerging trend that sees technology being used to support doctors in the delivery of care and in their own professional development."
Shankar Narayanan, Head, UK & Ireland, TCS says that the firm is “delighted” that the RCPI has chosen the firm to deliver the RCPI to transform its education platforms and streamline processes. “It’s great to be working with an organisation which values continuous development and learning so highly, and we look forward to the partnership with the RCPI,” says Narayanan.
