Continuing Education in Digital Skills for Healthcare Professionals — Mapping of the Current Situation in EU Member States

Kaihlanen, Anu-Marja; Virtanen, Lotta; Kainiemi, Emma; Sulosaari, Virpi; Heponiemi, Tarja

doi:10.34172/ijhpm.8309

Continuing Education in Digital Skills for Healthcare Professionals — Mapping of the Current Situation in EU Member States

Document Type : Short Communication

Authors

Anu-Marja Kaihlanen ¹ ^¶

Lotta Virtanen ¹ ^¶

Emma Kainiemi ¹

Virpi Sulosaari ²

Tarja Heponiemi ¹

¹ Department of Public Health and Welfare, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland

² Faculty of Health and Well-being, Turku University of Applied Sciences, Master School, Turku, Finland

10.34172/ijhpm.8309

Abstract

The rapid advancement of technology in healthcare is creating new competency requirements for professionals, such as skills for data management and the adoption of new technologies, understanding the effect of digitalisation on clinical processes, and evaluating clinical safety and ethics within the context of digitalisation. These requirements call for improved educational curricula and ongoing continuing education in digital skills. This study, as part of the Digital Skills Training for Health Care Professionals in Oncology (DigiCanTrain) project, aims to map and describe the existing continuing education in digital skills for healthcare professionals (HCPs) in European Union (EU) Member States. Using a mapping study methodology, data was collected from experts in 25 EU countries through surveys and from online sources. Qualitative content analysis was used for categorising the data. The results show variations between countries in policy strategies, training organisation, and funding mechanisms. Educational institutions, employers, third parties, and national/regional authorities were found to be the main organisers of the digital skills training. Comprehensive accreditation systems seemed to be scarce, and practices also varied between countries. The study highlights the importance of adopting a systematic approach to enhancing continuous professional development in digital skills, which would ensure that professionals have equitable access to education, resulting in consistent, quality patient care across countries and regions. The findings offer valuable insights for policymakers, educators, healthcare institutions, and professionals.

Keywords

Continuing Education

Training

Digital Competence

Healthcare Professionals

European Union

European Health Parliament. Digital Skills for Health Professionals. Committee on Digital Skills for Health Professionals. 2016. https://www.healthparliament.eu/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Digital-skills-for-health-professionals.pdf. Accessed October 9, 2023.
Roda S. Digital skills for doctors - explaining European doctors' position. J Eur CME. 2021;10(1):2014097. doi:1080/21614083.2021.2014097
Socha-Dietrich K. Empowering the Health Workforce to Make the Most of the Digital Revolution. Paris: OECD; 2021. doi:1787/37ff0eaa-en
European Parliament and the Council of the European Union. Directive 2013/55/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 November 2013. Amending Directive 2005/36/EC on the Recognition of Professional Qualifications and Regulation (EU) No 1024/2012 on Administrative Cooperation through the Internal Market Information System (the IMI Regulation). (Text with EEA Relevance). 2013. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2013:354:0132:0170:en:PDF.
Bichel-Findlay J, Koch S, Mantas J, et al. Recommendations of the International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA) on education in biomedical and health informatics: second revision. Int J Med Inform. 2023;170:104908. doi:1016/j.ijmedinf.2022.104908
Tudor Car L, Poon S, Kyaw BM, et al. Digital education for health professionals: an evidence map, conceptual framework, and research agenda. J Med Internet Res. 2022;24(3):e31977. doi:2196/31977
Isidori V, Diamanti F, Gios L, et al. Digital technologies and the role of health care professionals: scoping review exploring nurses' skills in the digital era and in the light of the COVID-19 Pandemic. JMIR Nurs. 2022;5(1):e37631. doi:2196/37631
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Health in the 21st Century: Putting Data to Work for Stronger Health Systems. Paris: OECD; 2019. https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/social-issues-migration-health/health-in-the-21st-century_e3b23f8e-en. Accessed October 9, 2023.
All Policies for a Healthy Europe. Bridging the Gap: Digital Skills in Health and Care. 2023. https://healthyeurope.eu/wp-content/uploads/HE_DigitalSkills_final-1.pdf.
European Commission. European Education Area. Quality Education and Training for All. European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS). https://education.ec.europa.eu/education-levels/higher-education/inclusive-and-connected-higher-education/european-credit-transfer-and-accumulation-system. Accessed October 9, 2023.
Cooper ID. What is a "mapping study?". J Med Libr Assoc. 2016;104(1):76-78. doi:3163/1536-5050.104.1.013
http://digicantrain.fi/. Accessed October 9, 2023.
Elo S, Kyngäs H. The qualitative content analysis process. J Adv Nurs. 2008;62(1):107-115. doi:1111/j.1365-2648.2007.04569.x
Council Resolution on a Strategic Framework for European Cooperation in Education and Training towards the European Education Area and beyond (2021-2030) 2021/C 66/01. 2021. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex%3A32021G0226%2801%29. Accessed February 21, 2024.
Mlambo M, Silén C, McGrath C. Lifelong learning and nurses' continuing professional development, a metasynthesis of the literature. BMC Nurs. 2021;20(1):62. doi:1186/s12912-021-00579-2
Boniol M, Kunjumen T, Nair TS, Siyam A, Campbell J, Diallo K. The global health workforce stock and distribution in 2020 and 2030: a threat to equity and 'universal' health coverage? BMJ Glob Health. 2022;7(6):e009316. doi:1136/bmjgh-2022-009316
Cook DA, Wilkinson JM, Foo J. Costs of physician continuous professional development: a systematic review. Acad Med. 2022;97(10):1554-1563. doi:1097/acm.0000000000004805
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Health at a Glance 2023: OECD Indicators. Paris: OECD; 2023. https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/social-issues-migration-health/health-at-a-glance-2023_7a7afb35-en. Accessed February 21, 2024.
Finnish National Board on Research Integrity. The Ethical Principles of Research with Human Participants and Ethical Review in the Human Sciences in Finland: Finnish National Board on Research Integrity TENK Guidelines 2019. Finnish National Board on Research Integrity; 2019. https://tenk.fi/sites/default/files/2021-01/Ethical_review_in_human_sciences_2020.pdf. Accessed April 12, 2022.