JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

The use of technology in healthcare, often referred to as digital health, has expanded rapidly due to the need to provide remote care during the COVID-19 pandemic. In light of this rapid boom, it is clear that healthcare professionals need to be trained in these technologies in order to provide high level care. Despite the growing number of technologies used across healthcare, digital health is not a commonly taught topic in healthcare curricula. Several pharmacy organizations have called attention to the need to teach digital health to student pharmacists, however there is currently no consensus on best methods to do so.

Objective:

The objective of this study was to determine if there was a significant change in student pharmacist scores on the Digital Health-Familiarity, Attitudes, Comfort, and Knowledge Scale (DH-FACKS) after exposure to digital health topics in a yearlong discussion based case conference series.

Methods:

Student pharmacists’ initial comfort, attitudes, and knowledge were gathered by a baseline DH-FACKS score at the beginning of the fall semester. Digital health concepts were integrated into a number of cases in the case conference course series throughout the academic year. The DH-FACKS was given again to students after completion of the spring semester. Results were matched, scored, and analyzed to assess any difference in DH-FACKS scores.

Results:

A total of 91 of 373 students completed both the pre- and post- survey (response rate of 24%). Using a scale from one to ten, student reported knowledge of digital health increased from 4.5 (±2.5) pre-intervention to 6.6 (±1.6) post-intervention (p <0.0001) and self-reported comfort increased from 4.7 (±2.5) pre-intervention to 6.7 (±1.8) post intervention (p <0.0001). There was a significant increase in scores for all four elements of the DH-FACKS. Familiarity scores increased from 11.6 (±3.7) to 15.8(±2.2), out of a maximum of 20 (p <0.0001). Attitudes scores increased from 15.6 (±2.1) to 16.5 (±1.9), out of a maximum of 20 (p 0.001). Comfort scores increased from 10.1 (±3.9) to 14.8 (±3.1), out of a maximum of 20 (p < 0.0001). Knowledge scores increased from 9.9 (±3.4) to 12.8 (±3.9), out of a maximum of 20 ( p < 0.0001).

Conclusions:

Including digital health topics in a case conference series is an effective and approachable way of providing education on important digital health concepts to students. Students experienced an increase in familiarity, attitudes, comfort, and knowledge after the year- long intervention. As case-based discussions are an important component of most pharmacy as well as other medical curricula, this method can be easily applied by other programs that wish to give their students practice applying their knowledge of digital health to complex case- based scenarios.