Information and communication technology literacy, knowledge and readiness for electronic medical record system adoption among health professionals in a tertiary hospital, Myanmar: A cross-sectional study

Measuring the Digital Competence of Health Professionals: Scoping Review

BACKGROUND

Digital competence is listed as one of the key competences for lifelong learning and is increasing in importance not only in private life but also in professional life. There is consensus within the health care sector that digital competence (or digital literacy) is needed in various professional fields. However, it is still unclear what exactly the digital competence of health professionals should include and how it can be measured.

OBJECTIVE

This scoping review aims to provide an overview of the common definitions of digital literacy in scientific literature in the field of health care and the existing measurement instruments.

METHODS

Peer-reviewed scientific papers from the last 10 years (2013-2023) in English or German that deal with the digital competence of health care workers in both outpatient and inpatient care were included. The databases ScienceDirect, Scopus, PubMed, EBSCOhost, MEDLINE, OpenAIRE, ERIC, OAIster, Cochrane Library, CAMbase, APA PsycNet, and Psyndex were searched for literature. The review follows the JBI methodology for scoping reviews, and the description of the results is based on the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) checklist.

RESULTS

The initial search identified 1682 papers, of which 46 (2.73%) were included in the synthesis. The review results show that there is a strong focus on technical skills and knowledge with regard to both the definitions of digital competence and the measurement tools. A wide range of competences were identified within the analyzed works and integrated into a validated competence model in the areas of technical, methodological, social, and personal competences. The measurement instruments mainly used self-assessment of skills and knowledge as an indicator of competence and differed greatly in their statistical quality.

CONCLUSIONS

The identified multitude of subcompetences illustrates the complexity of digital competence in health care, and existing measuring instruments are not yet able to reflect this complexity.

Healthcare professionals' knowledge, attitude and its associated factors toward electronic personal health record system in a resource-limited setting: A cross-sectional study

Introduction

Electronic personal health record (e-PHR) system enables individuals to access their health information and manage it themselves. It helps patient engagement management of health information that is accessed and shared with their healthcare providers using the platform. This improves individual healthcare through the exchange of health information between patients and healthcare providers. However, less is known about e-PHRs among healthcare professionals.

Objective

Therefore, this study aimed to assess Health professionals' Knowledge and attitude and its associated factors toward e-PHR at the teaching hospital in northwest Ethiopia.

Methods

An institution-based cross-sectional study design was used to determine healthcare professionals' knowledge and attitude and their associated factors toward e-PHR systems in teaching hospitals of Amhara regional state, Ethiopia, from 20 July to 20 August 2022. Pretested structured self-administered questionnaires were used to collect the data. Descriptive statistic was computed based on sociodemographic and other variables presented in the form of table graphs and texts. Bivariable and multivariable logistic analyses were performed with an adjusted odds ratio (AOR) and 95% CI to identify predictor variables.

Result

Of the total study participants, 57% were males and nearly half of the respondents had a bachelor's degree. Out of 402 participants, ~65.7% [61–70%] and 55.5% [50–60%] had good knowledge and favorable attitude toward e-PHR systems, respectively. Having a social media account 4.3 [AOR = 4.3, 95% CI (2.3–7.9)], having a smartphone 4.4 [AOR = 4.4, 95% CI (2.2–8.6)], digital literacy 8.8 [(AOR = 8.8, 95% CI (4.6–15.9)], being male 2.7 [AOR = 2.7, 95% CI (1.4–5.0)], and perceived usefulness 4.5 [(AOR = 4.5, 95% CI (2.5–8.5)] were positively associated with knowledge toward e-PHR systems. Similarly, having a personal computer 1.9 [AOR = 1.9, 95% CI (1.1–3.5)], computer training 3.9 [AOR = 3.9, 95% CI (1.8–8.3)], computer skill 19.8 [AOR = 19.8, 95% CI (10.7–36.9)], and Internet access 6.0 [AOR = 6.0, 95% CI (3.0–12.0)] were predictors for attitude toward e-PHR systems.

Conclusion

The findings from the study showed that healthcare professionals have good knowledge and a favorable attitude toward e-PHRs. Providing comprehensive basic computer training to improve healthcare professionals' expectation on the usefulness of e-PHR systems has a paramount contribution to the advancement of their knowledge and attitude toward successfully implementing e-PHRs.

Knowledge and utilisation of information and communication technology among radiographers in a lower-middle-income country

INTRODUCTION

Understanding the current ICT-related experience is essential for planning and effectively implementing quality healthcare services. Hence, this study aims to assess the knowledge and utilisation of ICT among radiographers in Sri Lanka.

METHODS

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 590 practicing radiographers in Sri Lanka. Data was collected through a postal survey using a structured self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of three sections: socio-demographic characteristics, existing knowledge of ICT, and utilisation of ICT applications and facilities.

RESULTS

A total of 416 radiographers returned the questionnaire giving a response rate of 70.5%. Considering the overall ICT knowledge, 24.0% of the respondents possessed good knowledge, while 54.3% and 21.6% reported having fair and poor knowledge, respectively. The knowledge of ICT was significantly associated with gender, age, level of education, duration of service, and previous ICT training experience (p < 0.05). Digital radiography and electronic patient record (EPR) systems were used by 8% and 17.8% of respondents, respectively. Inadequate ICT facilities (56.7%) were identified as the most significant challenge for radiographers to use ICT.

CONCLUSIONS

The majority of the respondents in this study had a fair knowledge of ICT, and this knowledge was significantly associated with certain demographic factors. Further, it was found that access to certain ICT applications, such as digital radiography and EPR systems, is limited. Hence, this study highlighted the importance of providing systematic, comprehensive and regular ICT training programmes and improving access to ICT facilities for radiographers.

IMPLICATIONS OF PRACTICE

The study provides insight into the significance of improving ICT literacy among radiographers in the field. In addition, the findings may draw policymakers' attention to improving radiographers' access to the latest technologies.

Digital literacy level and associated factors among health professionals in a referral and teaching hospital: An implication for future digital health systems implementation

Background

In Ethiopia and other developing countries, electronic medical record systems and other health information technology are being introduced. However, a small proportion of low-income countries have successfully implemented national health information systems. One cause for this can be the lack of digital literacy among medical practitioners. As a result, this study aimed to assess health professionals' digital literacy level and associated factors in Northwest Ethiopia.

Method

A quantitative cross-sectional study was employed among 423 health professionals working in a teaching and referral hospital in Northwest Ethiopia. We modified and applied the European commission's framework for digital competency to assess the level of digital literacy among health professionals. We used stratified random sampling with proportional allocation to the size of the departments in the hospital to select study participants. Data were collected using a semi-structured, self-administered, and pretested questionnaire. Descriptive and binary logistic regression analysis techniques were used to describe respondents' digital literacy level and identify its associated factor, respectively. The odds ratio with 95% CI and value of p were used to assess the strength of the association and statistical significance, respectively.

Results

Out of 411 participants, 51.8% (95% CI, 46.9-56.6%) of health professionals had adequate digital literacy. Holding a master's degree (Adjusted OR = 2.13, 95% CI: 1.18-3.85), access to digital technology (AOR = 1.89, 95% CI: 1.12-3.17), having training in digital technology (AOR = 1.65, 95% CI: 1.05-2.59), and having a positive attitude towards digital health technology (AOR = 1.64, 95% CI: 1.02-2.68) were found to be significant factors associated with health professionals digital literacy level of health professionals.

Conclusion

Low level of digital literacy among health professionals was observed, with nearly half (48.2%) of them having poor digital literacy levels. Access to digital technology, training on digital technology, and attitude toward digital health technology were significant factors associated with digital literacy. It is suggested to increase computer accessibility, provide a training program on digital health technology, and promote a positive attitude toward this technology to improve the deployment of health information systems.

Health professionals' readiness to implement electronic medical recording system and associated factors in public general hospitals of Sidama region, Ethiopia

BACKGROUND

Electronic medical recording system is one of the information technologies that has a proven benefit to improve the quality of health service. Readiness assessment is one of the recommended steps to be taken prior to implementing electronic medical recording system to reduce the probability of failure.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the level of health professional readiness to implement Electronic medical recording system and associated factors in public general hospitals of Sidama region, 2022.

METHODOLOGY

A cross-sectional study design complemented with qualitative study was employed at three public general hospitals in Sidama region on a sample of 306 participants. A pretested self-administered questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data and in-depth interview was used for the qualitative study. Bivariate and multivariate Binary logistics regression was performed to determine predictors of readiness at α = 0.05, using an odds ratio and 95% confidence interval. Thematic analysis was done for qualitative data collected through in-depth interview.

RESULT

The overall readiness for health professionals was 36.5%. Of the study participants, 201 (73.4%) were computer literate, 176(64.23%) had good knowledge, and 204 (74.45%) had favorable attitude towards EMR. Only 31 participants had previous training (11.3%), while 64 (23%) had previous experience. EMR knowledge (AOR = 3.332; 95%CI: (1.662, 6.682)) and attitude towards electronic medical recording (AOR = 2.432; 95%CI: (1.146, 5.159)) were statistically significant predictors of readiness to implement electronic medical recording. Qualitative analysis has revealed lack of training, ease of use concerns, information security concerns, and perceived inadequacy of infrastructures including internet connectivity and electricity as common barriers for health professional readiness to implement EMR.

CONCLUSION

Health professionals' readiness in this study was low. Capacity building efforts to increase the awareness and skills of health professionals should be done before implementing the system.

Healthcare providers' readiness for electronic health record adoption: a cross-sectional study during pre-implementation phase

BACKGROUND

The adoption of an electronic health record (EHR) in the healthcare system has the potential to make healthcare service delivery effective and efficient by providing accurate, up-to-date, and complete information. Despite its great importance, the adoptions of EHR in low-income country settings, like Ethiopia, were lagging and increasingly failed. Assessing the readiness of stakeholders before the actual adoption of EHR is considered the prominent solution to tackle the problem. However, little is known about healthcare providers' EHR readiness in this study setting. Accordingly, this research was conducted aiming at examining healthcare providers' readiness for EHR adoption and associated factors in southwestern Ethiopia.

METHODS

An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted from September 1 to October 30, 2021. A total of 423 healthcare providers working in public hospitals were selected using a simple random sampling technique. Multivariable logistic regression was fitted to identify determinant factors of overall healthcare providers' readiness after the other covariates were controlled.

RESULT

In this study, the overall good readiness level of EHR adoption was 52.8% (n = 204) [95% CI of 47.9% to 56.6%]. Age, computer literacy, computer access at health facilities, attitude towards EHRs, awareness about EHRs, perceived benefit, and perceived technology self-efficacy were significantly associated with the overall health care providers' readiness for the adoption of EHR using a cut point of P-value less than 0.05.

CONCLUSION

Around half of the respondents had a good level of overall healthcare providers' readiness for the adoption of EHR which was considered inadequate. This finding implied that a huge effort is required to improve readiness before the actual implementation of EHRs. The finding implied that younger-aged groups were more ready for such technology which in turn implied; the older one needs more concern. Enhancing computer literacy, confidence building to raise self-efficacy of such technology, addressing the issue of computer availability at health facilities, building a positive attitude, awareness campaign of EHR, and recognizing the usefulness of such systems were the necessary measures to improve EHR readiness in this setting. Additionally, further studies are recommended to encompass all types of EHR readiness such as organizational readiness, technology readiness, societal readiness, and so on. Additionally, exploring the healthcare provider opinion with qualitative study and extending the proposed study to other implementation settings are recommended to be addressed by future works.