Design, Implementation, and Analysis of an Assessment and Accreditation Model to Evaluate a Digital Competence...

Area of Science:

• Digital Health
• Health Informatics
• Professional Development

Background:

• Digital health adoption is hindered by low digital literacy among healthcare professionals.
• Upskilling health professionals in digital competencies is essential for advancing digital health.
• A standardized model for assessing and accrediting digital competence is needed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a specific map of digital competences for health professionals.
• To define and validate a digital competence assessment and accreditation model for this population.

Main Methods:

• An iterative mixed-methods approach was employed, including literature review and expert consultation.
• Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, hypothesis testing, and instrument analysis.
• The assessment model was scenario-based and evaluated for internal consistency.

Main Results:

• The developed assessment model demonstrated excellent internal consistency (greatest lower bound=0.91).
• While 90.2% of participants perceived their digital competence as intermediate, most would not achieve Level-2 Accreditation.
• A significant gap exists between self-perceived and objectively assessed digital competence.

Conclusions:

• Assessing digital competence against a defined framework enables targeted training for healthcare professionals.
• This approach helps professionals leverage digital technologies effectively in their practice.
• Findings informed the Health Plan for Catalonia 2021-2025, supporting training and certification initiatives.