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Enhancement of Public Health Professionals via Digital Transformation Competencies

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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Digital Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2023) | Viewed by 22193

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Jan Ehlers

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Guest Editor

Didactics and Educational Research in Healthcare, Faculty of Health, Witten/Herdecke University, 58455 Witten, Germany
Interests: medical and health education; digital transformation in health care; technology enhanced learning; human animal studies
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Daniel Tolks

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

1. Centre for Applied Health Science, Leuphana University Lueneburg, 21335 Lueneburg, Germany
2. Department of Digital Medicine, Medical Faculty OWL, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
Interests: gamification; serious games; digital learning, digital health and medical education, inverted classroom model
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The digital transformation is not only changing industry, commerce or services, but also very much the entire health sector. In recent years, we have seen a rapid increase in digital innovations in the health sector. Global challenges such as pandemics, inequitable distribution, ageing societies or climate change require new methods, technologies and approaches.

These changes will not only be steady, but may also be disruptive. It is therefore important that all those involved in the health system have digital competences in order to not only guarantee participation, but also to have options for action and design.

This concerns all professions in the health sector, e.g. from doctors to nurses and therapeutic professions to staff in the organisation and administration. Patients also need digital health literacy in order to participate in all the new possibilities of care.

The teaching of digital competences in education, further education and training is an important task for the coming years. Many job profiles will change. The demands, but hopefully also the appreciation, will increase significantly.

This Special Issue presents possibilities and experiences with the further development of the health professions through digital transformation literacy.

We are looking forward to receiving your manuscripts on studies in this field.

You may choose our Joint Special Issue in Healthcare.

With best regards

Prof. Dr. Jan Ehlers
Dr. Daniel Tolks
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

digital literacy
digital health
e-health
digital transformation
transformation literacy
health information technology
wearable devices
telehealth
telemedicine
personalized medicine
education
training

Published Papers (6 papers)

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22 pages, 1260 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Neurological Outpatients Prefer EEG Home-Monitoring over Inpatient Monitoring—An Analysis Based on the UTAUT Model

by Ulrike Baum, Frauke Kühn, Marcel Lichters, Anne-Katrin Baum, Renate Deike, Hermann Hinrichs and Thomas Neumann

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(20), 13202; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192013202 - 13 Oct 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2346

Abstract

Home monitoring examinations offer diagnostic and economic advantages compared to inpatient monitoring. In addition, these technical solutions support the preservation of health care in rural areas in the absence of local care providers. The acceptance of patients is crucial for the implementation of home monitoring concepts. The present research assesses the preference for a health service that is to be introduced, namely an EEG home-monitoring of neurological outpatients—using a mobile, dry-electrode EEG (electroencephalography) system—in comparison to the traditional long-time EEG examination in a hospital. Results of a representative study for Germany (n = 421) reveal a preference for home monitoring. Importantly, this preference is partially driven by a video explaining the home monitoring system. We subsequently analyzed factors that influence the behavioral intention (BI) to use the new EEG system, drawing on an extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model. The strongest positive predictor of BI is the belief that EEG home-monitoring will improve health quality, while computer anxiety and effort expectancy represent the strongest barriers. Furthermore, we find the UTAUT model’s behavioral intention construct to predict the patients’ decision for or against home monitoring more strongly than any other patient’s characteristic such as gender, health condition, or age, underlying the model’s usefulness. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Enhancement of Public Health Professionals via Digital Transformation Competencies)

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15 pages, 2434 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Empowerment for the Digital Transformation: Results of a Structured Blended-Learning On-the-Job Training for Practicing Physicians in Germany

by Josefin Bosch, Christiane Ludwig, Johannes Fluch-Niebuhr and Dietrich Stoevesandt

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(20), 12991; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192012991 - 11 Oct 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2115

Abstract

(1) Background: Practicing physicians have not been in the focus of structured qualifications in basic digital competences so far. However, they are the current gatekeepers to implement digital technologies and need empowerment to proactively take part in the ongoing digital transformation process. The present study investigates if a structured blended-learning training for practicing physicians in Germany enhances both physicians’ knowledge about central aspects of the digital transformation (including awareness of personal possibilities to act) and their attitudes towards a more digitally empowered mindset. (2) Methods: Participants (n = 32) self-assessed their knowledge (19 items, 10-point Likert-scale) and attitudes (6 items, 5-point Likert-scale) towards the digital transformation at the beginning and at the end of the training. MANCOVAs were conducted. (3) Results: Participants reported an increase in every knowledge domain, representing large effects (Hedges’ g 1.06 to 2.82). Attitudes were partly shifted towards a more empowered mindset with decreased insecurity towards technological, legal, and ethical aspects of the digital transformation (Hedges’ g −0.82 to −1.40). However, preparedness for the digital transformation remained low. (4) Conclusions: Generally, the hypotheses were confirmed. The presented on-the-job training had the desired effects on practicing physicians’ knowledge and attitudes. Nevertheless, additional empowerment and support are essential. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Enhancement of Public Health Professionals via Digital Transformation Competencies)

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18 pages, 1541 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Use of Telemedicine Technology among General Practitioners during COVID-19: A Modified Technology Acceptance Model Study in Poland

by Renata Walczak, Magdalena Kludacz-Alessandri and Liliana Hawrysz

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(17), 10937; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191710937 - 1 Sep 2022

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3483

Abstract

During the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth became a popular solution for the remote provision of primary care by General Practitioners (GPs) in Poland. This study aimed to assess the GPs’ acceptance of telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland and to explain the factors that drive GPs’ need to implement a telehealth system in primary care using the modified Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). In Poland, 361 GPs from a representative sample of 361 clinics drawn from 21,500 outpatient institutions in Poland participated in the empirical study. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to evaluate the causal relationships that were formulated in the proposed model. Research has shown that Polish GPs reported a positive perception and high acceptance of the telehealth system during the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, the results show that the social factors (image, decision autonomy, perception of patient interaction) significantly positively influence the technological factors (perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness) that influence the need to implement a telehealth system. The proposed socio-technological model can serve as a theoretical basis for future research and offer empirical predictions for practitioners and researchers in health departments, governments, and primary care settings. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Enhancement of Public Health Professionals via Digital Transformation Competencies)

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13 pages, 593 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Digitization in Everyday Nursing Care: A Vignette Study in German Hospitals

by Lisa Korte and Sabine Bohnet-Joschko

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(17), 10775; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191710775 - 30 Aug 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 5683

Abstract

(1) Background: Digitization in hospital nursing promises to transform the organization of care processes and, therefore, provide relief to nurse staffing shortages. While technological solutions are advanced and application fields numerous, comprehensive implementation remains challenging. Nursing leadership is crucial to digital change processes. This vignette study examined the effects of the motives and values on nurses’ motivation to use innovative technologies. (2) Methods: We asked hospital nurses in an online vignette study to assess a fictitious situation about the introduction of digital technology. We varied the devices on the degree of novelty (tablet/smart glasses), addressed motives (intrinsic/extrinsic), and values (efficiency/patient orientation). (3) Results: The analysis included 299 responses. The tablet vignettes caused more motivation than those of the smart glasses (Z = −6.653, p < 0.001). The dataset did not show significant differences between intrinsic and extrinsic motives. The nursing leader was more motivating when emphasizing efficiency rather than patient orientation (Z = −2.995, p = 0.003). (4) Conclusions: The results suggest efficiency as a motive for using known digital technologies. The nursing staff’s willingness to use digital technology is generally high. Management actions can provide a structural framework and training so that nursing leaders can ensure their staff’s engagement in using also unknown devices. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Enhancement of Public Health Professionals via Digital Transformation Competencies)

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18 pages, 377 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Managing Directors’ Perspectives on Digital Maturity in German Hospitals—A Multi-Point Online-Based Survey Study

by Anja Burmann, Burkhard Fischer, Nico Brinkkötter and Sven Meister

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(15), 9709; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19159709 - 6 Aug 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2422

Abstract

Background: The digitalization and integration of data are increasingly relevant for hospitals. Several methods exist to assess and structurally develop digital maturity. However, it is notable that German hospitals lag behind the European average with respect to digitalization. Objective: We hypothesized that: (a) the perspective of hospital managing directors regarding the state of digitalization in German hospitals plays an important role in the investigation of barriers, and (b) the Hospital Future Act in 2020 may help to surmount those barriers. Methods: Aligned with the Checklist for Reporting Results of Internet E-Surveys (CHERRIES), two online surveys were conducted, one in 2019 and one in 2021. Results: The first study covered 184/344 hospitals and the second, 83/344. The responsibility for deciding on the implementation of digitalization lay with the management (115/184; 62.5%). About 54.9% (101/184) of the managing directors desired digitally supported workflows, together with employees or users. In total, 74.7% (62/83) of hospital managing directors expressed an increase in digitization compared to 2019, with a percentage increase of 25.4% (SD 14.41). In some cases, we analyzed the data using an ANOVA, chi-squared test and Pearson’s correlation, but there was no significant relation identified among the variables. Conclusions: This online-based survey study demonstrated that the development of a digitalization strategy is still strongly tied to or dominated by the attitude of the management. One could assume a lack of acceptance among employees, which should be surveyed in future research. The Hospital Future Act, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic, has positively influenced the digital maturity of hospitals. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Enhancement of Public Health Professionals via Digital Transformation Competencies)

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11 pages, 580 KiB

Open AccessPerspective

Approaches to Improvement of Digital Health Literacy (eHL) in the Context of Person-Centered Care

by Theresa Sophie Busse, Julia Nitsche, Sven Kernebeck, Chantal Jux, Jürgen Weitz, Jan P. Ehlers and Ulrich Bork

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(14), 8309; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19148309 - 7 Jul 2022

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 4546

Abstract

The skills, knowledge and resources to search for, find, understand, evaluate and apply health information is defined as health literacy (HL). If individuals want to use health information from the Internet, they need Digital Health Literacy (eHL), which in addition to HL also includes, for example, media literacy. If information cannot be found or understood by patients due to low (e)HL, patients will not have the opportunity to make informed decisions. In addition, many health apps for self-management or prevention also require (e)HL. Thus, it follows that active participation in healthcare, in terms of Person-Centered Care (PCC) is only possible through (e)HL. Currently, there is a great need to strengthen these competencies in society to achieve increased empowerment of patients and their health. However, at the same time, there is a need to train and improve competencies in the field of healthcare professionals so that they can counsel and guide patients. This article provides an overview with a focus on HL and eHL in healthcare, shows the opportunities to adapt services and describes the possible handling of patients with low (e)HL. In addition, the opportunities for patients and healthcare professionals to improve (e)HL are highlighted. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Enhancement of Public Health Professionals via Digital Transformation Competencies)

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