Table 1 Summary of findings from systematic reviews regarding recommended principles of effective health professional training initiatives

Mixed content (educational and instructional)

• Include educational content on serious patient outcomes

• Include instructional content on use of Electronic Health Information (EHI)

• Improved training attendance when content/outcomes are perceived as serious [15, 20]

• Improved effects if clinicians are provided with an EHI platform and trained in use of the platform [23]

Adequate total duration (total minutes received)

• Duration of at least 1 h

• Improved outcomes with total training duration of at least 1 h providing there is adequate follow-up and monitoring of progress [22]

Varied facilitators (peers and experts)

• Include sessions conducted by a peer

• Include session(s) conducted by an expert

• Slightly improved level of change when educational sessions are conducted by a peer compared to a non-peer [16]

• Some support for the use of a local opinion leader/expert opinion in practice change initiatives [25]

Multiple formats (interactive and didactic)

• Include a mix of interactive and didactic training

• Improved outcomes with mixed interactive and didactic/lecture-based educational meetings rather than inclusion of only didactic or only interactive sessions [15]

Multiple modes (online and face-to-face)

• Include both online and face-to-face training

• Insufficient evidence to support online learning only [23]

Varied structures (one-on-one and group)

• Include a mix of groupings

• Significant effects for both one-on-one or group delivered training [22]