The Emerging Identity of Digital Health Leaders: Analysis of the 2023 Specialist Digital Health Workforce Census

The digital health workforce is diverse but lacks coherent professional regulation. This study aims to define leadership characteristics in digital health to help shape its emerging professional identity. Data was drawn from the Australian Specialist Digital Health Workforce Census 2023, categorizing respondents as leaders or non-leaders. Pearson Chi-Square tests analyzed the relationship between leadership status and factors like demographics, education, credentials, occupation, and workforce intentions. Out of 857 responses, 139 (16.22%) identified as leaders, who were more likely to hold formal digital health qualifications and credentials. Leaders were more concentrated in managerial roles, had longer tenures, higher incomes, and were more committed to advancing their careers. The findings highlight the need for further research exploring leadership dynamics across different occupational groups and their association with demographic factors such as age, gender, and remuneration.