“Integrating Patients’ Perspectives into Continuing Medical Education (CME) to Address Disparities in Gynecologic Cancer Care”

Ongoing disparities exist in gynecologic cancer outcomes, and gaps remain in healthcare professional (HCP) education related to communication, equity, and survivorship. This retrospective mixed-methods analysis examined whether embedding patient narratives in continuing medical education (CME) for gynecologic oncology was associated with shifts in HCPs' reported intentions to change practice. Accredited CME activities delivered in the United States from 2021 to 2023 were reviewed. Provider post-activity evaluation data and de-identified patient narratives from Smart Patients®, an online community for patients and families, were included. Categorical evaluation outcomes were summarized using frequencies and percentages; differences in behavioral-change response categories across years were assessed using chi-square tests of independence; and patient narrative themes were compared descriptively with HCP-reported intent-to-change categories. The analysis included 4,057 unique learners in 2021, 16,970 in 2022, and 10,278 in 2023, alongside 171 patient narratives. The proportion of HCPs planning to implement changes remained stable across years (44-49%; χ² = 7.81, df = 4, p = 0.099). However, the focus of intended changes shifted from primarily applying guidelines in 2021 (77%) towards greater emphasis on educating other healthcare professionals (45% in 2022) and contributing to team-based change (35% in 2023). Thematic shifts paralleled year-to-year changes in the narratives featured. Integrating patient experiences into CME may help align HCPs' priorities with patient-centred concerns, including communication, equity, and survivorship.