The Alicanto Cloud (https://www.alicantocloud.com is an online learning and collaboration platform was developed by Yuri Quintana at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Division of Clinical Informatics in the Department of Medicine. It was first implemented in 2015. 

The platform combines several services into one platform, such as online group collaboration tools such as document sharing, group discussions, web conferencing, an online learning management system, and an online secure clinical consultation system. See the features below.

Alicanto Consult is a platform for virtual tumor boards. See the video below for a demonstration.

 See our latest site Alicanto Clinical Trials which allows you to search for trials worldwide and subscribe to updates to trials by trial name or condition.

For more information to license Alicanto for your institution, contact Yuri Quintana, Ph.D., Chief, Division of Clinical Informatics, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, email: yquintan@bidmc.harvard.edu. 

Alicanto Consult

Alicanto Consult is a secure online platform designed to streamline clinical consultations. It enables healthcare professionals to submit cases for review by experts, facilitating efficient communication and collaboration. The platform allows for case review, recommendations, live discussions, and case transfers, ultimately enhancing the quality and timeliness of clinical decision-making.

Key Features:

• Secure online case submission and review

• Expert recommendations and live discussions

• Case transfer capabilities

Integration with other Alicanto platform services

 https://alicantobidmc.org/resources/alicanto-tumor-boards

See the user guide and administrator guide.

Alicanto LearNING PLatFORM

1. Easy-to-use on-demand online learning

2. Extensive discussion tools for learners

3. Support online courses and assessments

4. Ability to classify content by topic or users

5. Ability to add e-commerce to content

6. Collaboration tools for group discussions

7. Online video conference meeting tools

8. Tools to upload content and control access

9. Easy to generate online usage reports

10.  Multilingual interfaces available

See some implementations such as:

• Alicanto BIDMC is being used for cancer education, virtual tumor boards, and patient referrals

• African Cancer Stars, is a website for training the next generation of cancer researchers in Africa.

• DEFA Diabetes - education for patients and healthcare providers

• DCI Network - a community of medical informatics professionals

• Pfizer's Alicanto site is being used for informatics training for pharmacists.  

Alicanto Learning Management System

Online Library

●    The library can host online learning content such as videos, images, PDFs.

●   All educational content can be commented on by users and bookmarked.

●   Videos can have transcripts in multiple languages, related files, user-contributed comments.

Courses

●      Alicanto supports structured online courses that can be taken as self-paced or instructor-led.

●      Learning paths can be created that contain one or more courses.

●      Courses can have prerequisites such as completing previous courses.

●      Online courses can be created using content from the library or external resources and links.

●      Users can take the training from desktop, mobile phone browser, or mobile app, and resume where they left off.

●      The course can be made sequential such that a user must complete one module before proceeding to the next one.

●      Alicanto can display a training catalog of courses set as public, semi-private, or private training. 

●      The system automatically generates a certificate upon completion.

●      Content can be imported from SCORM.

Reporting and Analytics

●      There is a dashboard for every user that shows user progress.

●      Administrators can see a detailed history of quiz attempts, and scores per user

●      Users can have a certificate of completion for each course.

●      Certificates can expire after a certain period to force re-certification.

●      Online courses can have pre and post-tests and evaluation surveys.

●      Course feedback forms are available.

●      Automatic PDF certificate generation when completing training.

Content Management

Content Update

●      Alicanto stores all content in a secure cloud.

●      The site administrator or content editor can upload content and organize it without vendor assistance.

●      Content is uploaded by online forms and drop downs to customize content access.

●      Alicanto can be configured to store files in a cloud service like Amazon S3.

Access Controls

●      Alicanto can provide multiple levels of roles with specific feature and content access permissions.

●      System managers can customize some features with online administrative tools.

●      You can set flexible access control based on roles.

●      Roles can be assigned at the training level or global level.

●      User roles include administrator, user manager, content manager, content editor, statistics manager.

●      You can add as many user roles as you want, fine-grained control to content based on role.

User Interface and Accessibility

Customization

●      Alicanto can provide a modern look and feel and responsive design on mobile devices.

●      DCI team can customize the layouts and user experience.

●      Site administrators can add new pages without vendor assistance.

●  After you log on, you will see all their meetings, groups, and courses on the MyAlicanto page.

●  The user interface (menus) will be available in multiple languages.

●  Web pages are optimized for viewing on mobile devices.

●  All content can be classified by topic, competency, and intended audience.

●  Site administrators can update the taxonomies, such as the list of subject categories used to classify library content, or the list of user professions used on the registration page.

Internationalization and Accessibility

●  Supports multilingual menus and tagging of content by language

●      The system can support languages with a right to left script, such as Arabic.

●      User can specify their language preference

●      The site can meet ADA standards such as WCAG 2.0 (level A).

●      The website is designed to be responsive to be viewed on mobile browsers.

●      A mobile app is available that allows content to be stored offline.

Collaboration Tools

Group Spaces

●      Tools schedule meetings, share documents and have asynchronous discussions boards.

●  Each group has its web page with a group title, group description, and group leader.

●  Groups can be set so user that can request to join or private that are only visible to group members.

●  Groups can also be private, meaning these groups are not listed on the group listing page for non-members. Only a group administrator or system administrator can only add users to a private group.

●      Membership can be managed by one more designated group leaders and administrators.

●      A group administrator can review all the users, change their roles or remove them from the group.

●      Any group member can add a topic of discussion, add a comment, or reply to a comment.

●      Shared documents are private to the group and can be organized into folders and tagged by topics.

●  Users can upload documents to the resource area and organize content by folders.

Meeting Tools

●  Group leaders and group administrators can schedule meetings in their groups, email to members.

●  Group members can have a one-on-one video conference with other members.

●  Web conference meetings can be recorded and stored locally or archived in a secure cloud.

●  Users can see all their scheduled web conference meetings on the MyMeetings Page in Alicanto

●  The “Video Conference” tab allows you to schedule your meeting.

●  Group admin can decide if users can join a meeting before the group leader joins the meeting or require all users to be put on hold until the group leader or group admin arrives for the online meeting.

Group Roles and Permissions

●  Request to join a group can be moderated by a system or group administrator or not moderated.

●      Group leaders and admins can add users, schedule meetings, start a meeting, or create a folder.

●      Group members can add resources, i.e., Upload documents, but cannot create folders.

●      Group members can join a meeting, start a discussion topic, or add comments to a discussion thread.

●      You can allow users to join before the group leader or allow users to join after a leader or admin joins.  

●      Group leaders and group admin can also change the role of other users or remove users.

Notifications

●      Group members can get email notifications of new meetings or content added to the website.

●      A Mobile application with push notifications for group updates.

●    Group admins can email one more group member 

Tecnical Specifications

Hosting and Security Environment

●      Alicanto is developed according to the highest corporate security standards.

●      Alicanto is hosted on Amazon AWS with firewall and backup services from Acquia used by fortune 500 companies.

●      Possibility to integrate 2-factor authentication (OTP, Google Authenticator).

●      Third-party authentication single sign on integration via LDAP is possible.

●      The system uptime is monitored 24x7 and reported using external monitoring tools.

●      Clinical data can be stored in an encrypted database with two-factor authentication.

Scalability

●      The system can handle thousands of users. Hosted on scalable cloud computing.

●      Uses load-balanced servers, so if one server fails, others immediately continue service operations.

●      System computing power can be scaled to any number of users.

●      We have seen no-load performance issues with over 30,000 users on the platform.

●      We monitor the service with a 24-hour alert service.

●      We can restore quickly in the event of hardware failures.

●      All platform services are available in any region worldwide.

●      The video delivery can be bandwidth-sensitive with external video delivery services.

●      Alicanto supports browsers from Google (Chrome), Microsoft (Edge), and Firefox (Mozilla).

●      Alicanto is built using Drupal 9, the most popular and robust CMS used in large-scale websites.

Analytics

●      Reporting tools are available that allow you to download a list of people.

●      The system can be connected to Google Analytics or Matamo analytics.

Data Migration and Interoperability

●      Migration of content can be done on or off of the platform.

●      Data can be exported from the Drupal SQL database.

●      The system can be linked to external services using API.

●      Search can be integrated with Apache Solr.

●      Authentication can be connected to LDAP (Active Directory), CAS, oAuth 2, and OpenID integration.

●  Supports content built with H5P tools (learning content standard)

●  The system can import SCORM files (educational content format) SCORM and TinCan (xAPI)

●      Cn be linked to LRS (Learning Record Store) analytics platforms: Learning Locker, Watershed.

Legal/Compliance

●      Support GDPR compliance with consent forms on the homepage.

●      Allows banning of users and can restrict countries based on IP address.

●  Comments on discussion boards can be moderated and flagged by users for administrator review.

E-Commerce

●      The E-commerce feature allows the sale of subscriptions to training.

●      You can add payment gateways compliant with Drupal Commerce, including a shopping cart.

Frequently Asked Questions and Answers About Alicanto

Q1: What is the Alicanto platform?

A1: Alicanto is an online learning platform designed to provide a comprehensive and customizable educational experience, supporting interactive content, analytics, mobile access, collaboration tools, and integration with other systems.

Q2: What types of interactive content does Alicanto support?

A2: Alicanto supports various forms of interactive content, including quizzes, videos, discussion forums, and live polls to enhance student engagement and learning.

Q3: How does Alicanto handle analytics and reporting?

A3: Alicanto offers comprehensive analytics and reporting tools that allow educators to track student progress, identify areas needing improvement, and assess course effectiveness through detailed reports.

Q4: Is the Alicanto platform mobile-compatible?

A4: Yes, Alicanto is optimized for mobile devices, ensuring that students can access their courses and learning materials on the go.

Q5: What collaboration features are available on Alicanto?

A5: Alicanto includes various collaboration tools such as group projects, peer reviews, and discussion forums to facilitate teamwork and peer learning.

Q6: Can Alicanto be integrated with other educational tools and systems?

A6: Yes, Alicanto can be seamlessly integrated with other educational tools and systems, allowing for a unified and efficient learning environment.

Q7: How scalable is the Alicanto platform?

A7: Alicanto is highly scalable and can accommodate a range of class sizes, from small groups to large, massive open online courses (MOOCs).

Q8: What customization options are available in Alicanto for educators?

A8: Educators can create tailored learning paths, customize course content, and adjust interactive elements to meet specific educational goals and student needs.

Q9: Does Alicanto support multi-language functionality?

A9: Yes, Alicanto supports multi-language functionality to cater to diverse student populations and ensure inclusivity in education.

Q10: How does Alicanto ensure compliance with educational standards and regulations?

A10: Alicanto adheres to educational standards and regulations, providing tools and features that comply with industry requirements and ensure data security and integrity.

Q11: What kind of technical support is available for Alicanto users?

A11: Alicanto offers reliable technical support and troubleshooting services to assist users with any issues they encounter, ensuring smooth operation of the platform.

Q12: How can educators track student engagement and progress on Alicanto?

A12: Educators can use Alicanto's analytics and reporting tools to monitor student engagement and progress through detailed metrics and visualizations.

Q13: What features does Alicanto offer for course creators?

A13: Alicanto offers a range of features for course creators, including content customization, interactive elements, collaboration tools, and detailed reporting and analytics.

Q14: Can Alicanto handle large-scale online courses?

A14: Yes, Alicanto is designed to handle large-scale online courses, providing the scalability and robustness needed for extensive educational programs.

Q15: How user-friendly is the Alicanto platform?

A15: Alicanto prioritizes a user-friendly interface, making it easy for both instructors and students to navigate and utilize the platform effectively.

Visit https://www.alicantocloud.com  and contact Yuri Quintana at yquintana@bidmc.harvard.edu

About Yuri Quintana and the Division of Clinical Informatics

Dr. Yuri Quintana, Chief of the Division of Clinical Informatics at Beth Israel Lahey Health and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, leads this project. His work focuses on developing digital health systems that enhance clinical collaboration and patient care.

The Division of Clinical Informatics (DCI) Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC aims to leverage technology to improve healthcare delivery, patient outcomes, and overall health system efficiency. For over DCI (https://research.bidmc.org/dci) has been a leading center for scalable informatics research and policymaking. The DCI Network (https://www.dcinetwork.org ) accelerates solutions to complex healthcare problems through multi-stakeholder alliances and strategic roadmaps, focusing on harmonizing data, improving patient engagement, and building trust in AI.