Abstract
For the past five years, we have hosted the International Forum on Quality & Safety in Healthcare (IFQSH) Remote Participation Program (RPP) under a contract with the BMJ Group. The RPP is a replay forum of IFQSH, which is held in Europe, but targets a local audience in the host country. This program provided the recorded keynote lectures from IFQSH, adding highly accurate Japanese subtitles, and slide handouts. Additionally, domestic commentators were invited to enhance the audience’s understanding. The RPP in Japan had 1,552 participants. According to questionnaires, the evaluations of the lectures, commentary, and materials were generally positive regarding knowledge and practical usefulness. Many indicated interest in participating again. Participants’ understanding was deepened not just by showing the lecture videos but also by incorporating local knowledge of current issues related to the theme. The RPP, which provides academic information without traveling abroad, is valuable because it can overcome barriers to attending international academic conferences (i.e., language, coordinating time off, and economic burdens). Hence, similar opportunities should be developed with experts’ cooperation. In the future, international committees of academic societies should lead such efforts.
