Assessment Tools for Student Telehealth Competency: A Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Health Professions Education
• Digital Health
• Medical Simulation

Background:

• Telehealth is integral to modern healthcare delivery, necessitating specific competencies for health students.
• Acquiring telehealth competencies is crucial for safe and effective practice during student placements.
• A clear understanding of assessed student telehealth competencies and measurement tools is lacking in current literature.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify existing assessment tools for student telehealth competencies in synchronous learning activities.
• To determine which telehealth competencies are measured by these tools.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive scoping review of electronic databases was conducted.
• Studies published between 1995-2025 involving synchronous telehealth and student competency assessment were included.
• Data extraction and analysis focused on measurement tools and assessed competencies.

Main Results:

• Fifty-seven studies were included, predominantly from the United States, utilizing video-based and simulation telehealth activities.
• Most assessment tools were developed for individual studies and lacked psychometric validation.
• Assessed competencies spanned professional, clinical, and telehealth-specific domains.

Conclusions:

• Simulation effectively supports the development of student telehealth competencies.
• There is a significant gap in validated, robust assessment tools for student telehealth competencies.
• Developing psychometrically sound assessment instruments is essential for future research and practice.