Building a Consumer Health Informatics Introductory Course Consensus Curriculum: An eDelphi Study

Digital health technology is becoming increasingly sophisticated and prevalent in modern healthcare. Consumer health informatics (CHI) introductory courses provide a baseline proficiency on this important topic, yet there are no standardized competencies for graduates. In the rapidly evolving digital technology landscape, clear competencies are particularly crucial, as content may shift rapidly. We developed core competencies for introductory graduate level CHI courses utilizing the eDelphi method. To conduct this study, we explored literature and current teaching methods to identify themes among CHI, created of a panel of experts to serve on our advisory panel, then systematically solicited expert feedback using an iterative process. Our preliminary results have identified several areas experts deem as integral to any consumer health informatics curriculum - defining CHI and its applications, understanding how health literacy and numeracy influence design, and analyzing how information platforms can influence consumer outcomes and decision making.