In response to the growing demand for medical professionals and physicians who are proficient in using digital technologies to enhance patient care, a group of experts from 79 countries has developed a new framework aimed at integrating digital expertise into medical education.
The report known as the Digital Health Competencies in Medical Education (DECODE) framework was published in JAMA Network Open and designed to provide medical institutions worldwide with the guidance needed to develop and implement digital health curricula that prepare future physicians for the ongoing digital transformation of healthcare.
According to the report, the DECODE framework is already being adopted in various countries including the UK, where it has influenced a new report by the Medical Schools Council, which outlines essential competencies for medical students in the areas of digital health.
These competencies span across a range of digital health technologies, including mobile health apps, wearable devices, electronic health records, and artificial intelligence, all of which are driving rapid changes in healthcare. Despite the rise of these digital tools, the report revealed that many medical students and physicians feel underprepared to use them effectively in practice.
Co-lead author of the framework, Prof Josip Car, explained that the DECODE framework represents a significant advancement in medical education. “By providing a globally adaptable set of competencies, we aim to ensure that medical graduates are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and behaviours needed to navigate and leverage digital health technologies effectively,” he said.
He also emphasised the importance of the global collaboration behind the initiative and noted that the DECODE framework represents a significant step forward in preparing future physicians for the digital transformation of healthcare. “This international consensus effort highlights the urgent need to integrate digital health education into medical curricula worldwide,” he said.
The framework covers four key domains which include professionalism in Digital Health, Patient and Population Digital Health, Health Information Systems, and Health Data Science. Each domain includes competencies and mandatory learning outcomes, with room for institutions to tailor the content based on their unique contexts and resources and as such, allows the framework to be adopted globally regardless of a region’s healthcare infrastructure or educational approach.
According to co-lead author of the framework, Dr Qi Chwen Ong, the gap in training is a pressing concern and it is important for medical education to keep pace with the rapid digitalisation in healthcare. “Targeted training in digital health will ensure that future doctors can use these technologies efficiently and safely in care delivery,” he said.
The authors also explained that the framework goes beyond merely teaching the tools themselves but also addresses broader issues such as ethical, regulatory, and population health aspects of digital health.
According to them, the framework’s global adoption would signal a significant shift in medical education as institutions begin to recognize the importance of digital health as a fundamental component of training future healthcare professionals.
