JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Although digital health is essential for improving healthcare, its adoption remains slow due to the lack of literacy in this area. It is therefore crucial for health professionals to acquire digital skills and for a digital competence assessment and accreditation model to be implemented in order to make advances in this field.

Objective:

This study has two objectives: (1) to create a specific map of digital competencies for health professionals, and (2) to define and test a digital competence assessment and accreditation model for health professionals.

Methods:

We took an iterative mixed-method approach, which included a review of the gray literature and consultation of local experts. We used the arithmetic mean and standard deviation in descriptive statistics, P-values in hypothesis testing and subgroup comparisons, the greatest lower bound in test diagnosis, and the discrimination index in study instrument analysis.

Results:

The assessment model designed in accordance with the competence content defined in the map of digital competencies and based on scenarios had excellent internal consistency overall (GLB=0.91). Although most study participants reported an intermediate self-perceived digital competence level (90.2%), we found that the vast majority would not attain ACTIC 2 certification (Intermediate Accreditation of Competence in Information and Communication Technologies).

Conclusions:

Knowing the digital competence level of health professionals based on a defined competence framework should enable such professionals to be trained and updated in order to meet real needs in their specific professional contexts and, consequently, to take full advantage of the potential of digital technologies. These results have informed the Health Plan for Catalonia 2021-2025, thus laying the foundations for creating and offering specific training to assess and certify the digital competence of such professionals.