3 Ways Virtual

The EMS industry currently faces many challenges, including limited budgets, a multi-generational workforce, and increasing regulatory overlook. Virtual instructor-led training (VILT) offers a new way to reach EMS education that will grant agencies to do much more with less while decreasing the risk from an audit by bettering tracking and reporting.

The VILT delivery model provides a learner experience that is outside the brick-n-mortar classroom and beyond format online delivery by connecting live instructors with remote learners. Instructors and students interact with each other around the world in real time, replicating a traditional classroom learning experience while adding the flexibility of online learning. VILT can deliver EMS refresher education that is interactive and collaborative as well as flexible all while meeting state and national re-certification requirements.

Though, not yet well-known or used in the EMS industry, VILT programs have been approved and has also been recommended by the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) since 2011. It has been accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Pre-Hospital Continuing Education (CAPCE, formerly CECBEMS).

Here are 3 ways virtual instructor-led training will improve EMS education for your agency:

• VILT replaces your traditional classroom. The VILT delivery idea provides a new kind of experience for the learner by using a live instructor to teach a class through an online learning platform. VILT programs put the focus on what truly matters—the education.
• VILT is cost-effective. VILT offers a resolution because it gives the agencies an opportunity to maintain high-quality training while eliminating costs related to travel and required to back-fill the shifts of those staff members participating in training. Savings with a VILT model can be up to 50% of what would be spent on traditional education.
• VILT mitigates risk. Due to increasing regulatory oversight, all EMS agencies will be audited at some time. The online VILT format makes it easy to include tracking and reporting, making record keeping easy, hands-off and mitigating risk by capturing learner participation and engagement.

Virtual, instructor-led training programs allow emergency medical responders to complete their didactic training online through a single platform that meets NREMT and most state requirements, making VILT a cost-effective solution that attracts to a young and diverse workforce while helping mitigate risk in the event of an audit.