Virtual patients (VPs) are computer-based clinical cases that enable active learning and assessment through on-screen clinical decision-making paired with expert feedback. To facilitate the writing and repurposing of VP cases, the MedBiquitous VP Working Group created a technical standard (insert URL) that defines how virtual patient software should export and import VP data in a structured and predictable way. A case’s narrative, multimedia, clinical challenges, and feedback can be written and created on one system, exported and stored as a single standard "ZIP" file, then imported later by other authors and VP software applications for reuse, modification and repurposing.
Educators and leaders in healthcare professional education can benefit from using software applications that support the MedBiquitous VP (MVP) standard in three ways. First, the hundreds of existing cases created with software that supports the standard can be played back on any other standard-compliant system. Second, MVP based cases can be imported into VP authoring software and modified to meet unique local educational needs. Lastly, educational programs that support the standard can easily contribute MVP cases to the learning community, adding to the growing global library of teaching, training and assessment scenarios.