JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Due to the rapid digitalization of healthcare, leadership is becoming more complex. Leadership in digital health services is a term that has been used in literature with various meanings. Conceptualization of leadership in digital health services is needed to deliver higher quality digital health services, update existing leadership practices, and advance research.

Objective:

This protocol outlines a concept analysis that aims to clarify and define the concept of leadership in digital health services.

Methods:

Concept analysis will be performed using the Walker and Avant model, which involves eight steps: 1) concept selection; 2) determination of aims; 3) identification of uses; 4) determination of defining attributes; 5) construction of a model case; 6) construction of additional cases; 7) identification of antecedents and consequences; and 8) definition of empirical referents. A systematic literature search will be performed following the Joanna Briggs Institute’s (JBI) search protocol for scoping reviews to identify all relevant literature on leadership in digital health services. Searches will be conducted in six scientific databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE, Scopus, ProQuest databases, Web of Science and Finnish database Medic), and unpublished studies and grey literature will be searched using Google Scholar, EBSCO Open Dissertations, and MedNar.

Results:

An initial limited search of MEDLINE was undertaken on October 19th, 2020 and resulted in 883 records. The other databases will be searched by the end of the year 2020. The results of the concept analysis will be submitted for publication by the spring 2021.

Conclusions:

A robust conceptualization of leadership in digital health services is needed to support research, leadership, and education. The concept analysis model of Walker and Avant will be used to meet this need. Since leadership in digital health services appears to be interprofessional and inter-sectoral collaboration, defining this concept may also facilitate collaboration between professionals and sectors. The concept analysis to be conducted will also expand our understanding of leadership in digital health services.