Identifying Research Priorities in Digital Education for Health Care: Umbrella Review and Modified Delphi Method...

Area of Science:

• Digital Health Education
• Health Professions Education
• Medical Education Technology

Background:

• The use of digital technology in health care professional education has rapidly increased, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Despite this surge, there is a recognized need for rigorous research to validate the effectiveness of digital education methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and define critical evidence gaps in the efficacy of digital education for health care professionals.
• To establish priority areas for future research to enhance the understanding and application of digital education.

Main Methods:

• An umbrella review of literature published between 2020 and 2023 was conducted.
• A modified Delphi method involving 42 experts was employed to achieve consensus on priority research questions.

Main Results:

• An initial screening identified 8857 papers, with 217 systematic reviews and meta-analyses included after applying PRISMA methodology.
• Analysis yielded 151 research recommendations, consolidated into 63 questions, from which five priority research areas were identified.
• Top priorities include measuring learning transfer, optimizing AI/ML in education, defining methodological standards for studies, assessing intervention design impact, and standardizing learning outcome definitions.

Conclusions:

• This research provides a prioritized list of critical research gaps in digital health education.
• The findings will guide researchers, educators, and funding bodies in advancing meaningful and practical research in this field.
• The study emphasizes the need for further investigation to drive excellence in health care education through digital technologies.