JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Digital health technologies can be key to improving health outcomes, provided health workers are adequately trained to utilize these technologies. There have been efforts to identify digital competencies for different health worker groups, however, an overview of these efforts has yet to be consolidated and analysed.

Objective:

The objective of this review is to identify and study the existing digital health competency frameworks for health workers and provide recommendations for future digital health training initiatives and framework development.

Methods:

A literature search was performed to collate digital health competency frameworks published from year 2000. Six databases, including grey literature sources such as OpenGrey, ResearchGate, Google Scholar, Google, and websites of relevant associations were searched in November 2019. Screening and data extraction were performed in parallel by reviewers. The included evidence is narratively described in terms of characteristics, evolution, and structural composition of frameworks. A thematic analysis was also performed to identify common themes across the included frameworks.

Results:

Thirty frameworks were included in this review, a majority of which aimed at nurses, originated from high-income countries, published since 2016 and developed via literature reviews, followed by expert consultations. The thematic analysis uncovered 28 digital health competency domains across the included frameworks. The most prevalent domains were pertaining to basic IT literacy, health information management, digital communication, ethical/legal/regulatory requirements, and data privacy/security. The HITCOMP framework was found to be the most comprehensive framework, as it presented 21 out of the 28 identified domains, had the highest number of competencies, and targeted a wide variety of health workers.

Conclusions:

Digital health training initiatives should focus on competencies relevant to a particular health worker group, role, level of seniority and setting. The findings from this review can inform and guide digital health training initiatives. The most prevalent competency domains identified represent essential interprofessional competencies to be incorporated into health workers’ training. Digital health frameworks should be regularly updated with novel digital health technologies, applicable to low- and middle-income countries, and include overlooked health worker groups such as allied health professionals.