Understanding digital health capability across allied health therapies and sciences – a Parkville precinct observational study.
Elizabeth Pearson2,3, Aruska D’Souza1, Katie O’Brien4, Kath Feely1,2,41The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia2Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Parkville, Victoria, Australia3The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia4The Royal Children’s Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
Abstract
Background:
Digital information and technologies are essential for a sustainable health system that delivers high quality care. However, it is unclear whether health practitioners are using digital systems optimally. A Victorian digital health framework and self-evaluation tool (VAHD-SET) for allied health professionals (AHPs) was developed by content experts. The aim of this study was to determine the useability and content validity of the VAHD-SET domain Data and Informatics.
Method:
Allied health therapy and science staff employed at three Melbourne hospitals were invited to participate in a series of virtual cognitive interviews. Interviews were recorded, and an observer took notes during the interviews. Participants were instructed to ‘think aloud’ while answering the VAHD-SET online. Interviewers used prompts to identify ambiguous or confusing survey questions and response options in three rounds. After four interviews, major flaws were adapted. A further five participants were interviewed. The survey was readjusted, and another five interviews confirmed the utility of the corrections.
Results:
A balance of AHPs in science and therapy roles, with different experience and grades participated in cognitive interviews (n=14). The first round of interviews identified issues including response option labels, insufficient definitions of digital health terms, and excessive text. After adjustments to the survey wording and background text in the first two interview rounds, the VAHD-SET required little further editing.
Discussion:
Cognitive interviews revealed ambiguities in the digital health capability questionnaire. This study increases the reliability of data gathered using the VAHD-SET by enabling AHPs to better understand the questions and response options.
Biography
Ms Feely has worked in Public Health for >20 years as a physiotherapist and more recently in clinical informatics and EMR implementations. She is the Chief Allied Health Information Officer at Parkville Precinct. In 2021, Ms Feely received a Brilliant Women in Digital Health award from Telstra Health.
Dr D’Souza is an early-career researcher and physiotherapist with >11 years of clinical experience in acute care. She was awarded her PhD in 2023. Dr D’Souza has published four papers and obtained over $160,000 in grant funding. She is the Allied Health Knowledge and Research Translation lead at The Royal Melbourne Hospital.