The digital health competencies in medical education framework : an international consensus statement based on a Delphi study

Car, Josip (author), Ong, Qi Chwen (author), Erlikh Fox, Tatiana (author), Leightley, Daniel (author), Kemp, Sandra J. (author), Švab, Igor (author)

Importance: Rapid digitalization of health care and a dearth of digital health education for medical students and junior physicians worldwide means there is an imperative for more training in this dynamic and evolving field. Objective: To develop an evidence-informed, consensus-guided, adaptable digital health competencies framework for the design and development of digital health curricula in medical institutions globally. Evidence review: A core group was assembled to oversee the development of the Digital Health Competencies in Medical Education (DECODE) framework. First, an initial list was created based on findings from a scoping review and expert consultations. A multidisciplinary and geographically diverse panel of 211 experts from 79 countries and territories was convened for a 2-round, modified Delphi survey conducted between December 2022 and July 2023, with an a priori consensus level of 70%. The framework structure, wordings, and learning outcomes with marginal percentage of agreement were discussed and determined in a consensus meeting organized on September 8, 2023, and subsequent postmeeting qualitative feedback. In total, 211 experts participated in round 1, 149 participated in round 2, 12 participated in the consensus meeting, and 58 participated in postmeeting feedback. Findings: The DECODE framework uses 3 main terminologies: domain, competency, and learning outcome. Competencies were grouped into 4 domains: professionalism in digital health, patient and population digital health, health information systems, and health data science. Each competency is accompanied by a set of learning outcomes that are either mandatory or discretionary. The final framework comprises 4 domains, 19 competencies, and 33 mandatory and 145 discretionary learning outcomes, with descriptions for each domain and competency. Six highlighted areas of considerations for medical educators are the variations in nomenclature, the distinctiveness of digital health, the concept of digital health literacy, curriculum space and implementation, the inclusion of discretionary learning outcomes, and socioeconomic inequities in digital health education. Conclusions and relevance: This evidence-informed and consensus-guided framework will play an important role in enabling medical institutions to better prepare future physicians for the ongoing digital transformation in health care. Medical schools are encouraged to adopt and adapt this framework to align with their needs, resources, and circumstances.

• Language: English
• Keywords: digital health, curriculum, medical education, clinical competence
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: MF - Faculty of Medicine
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: 17 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 8, iss. 1, art. 2453131
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-181696
• UDC: 614
• ISSN on article: 2574-3805
• DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.53131
• COBISS.SI-ID: 261681411
• Publication date in RUL: 13.04.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: JAMA network open
• Shortened title: JAMA netw. open
• Publisher: American Medical Association
• ISSN: 2574-3805
• COBISS.SI-ID: 6301868

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: digitalno zdravje, učni načrt, medicinsko izobraževanje, klinične kompetence

Projects

• Funder: Nanyang Technological University