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Abstract
Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the level of digital literacy among healthcare professionals (HCPs) in Pakistan and to identify associated factors and barriers that may hinder the efficient national digitization of the healthcare system.
Introduction: Digital technologies, including Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) and Clinical Information Systems (CIS), play an integral role in improving the quality, efficiency, and safety of healthcare delivery; however, the successful implementation of digital technology largely depends upon the digital literacy of those who will use these technologies on a daily basis the healthcare professionals. In low and middle income countries such as Pakistan, limited information exists regarding the digital readiness of the healthcare professional workforce; therefore creating a critical information gap for any future efforts regarding developing a national digital health strategy.
Methodology: This research employed a cross-sectional study design on healthcare professionals within Jinnah Postgraduate and Medical Center (JPMC), one of the leading tertiary care hospitals in Pakistan, using a self-administered structured questionnaire that was adapted from the European Commission’s Digital Competence Framework that assessed five main areas of Digital Literacy (information and data literacy; communication and collaboration; digital content creation; safety; and problem-solving). We employed a stratified random sampling method to ensure that there were adequate numbers of respondents from all identified health professional groupings. We performed a descriptive statistical analysis on each of my digital literacy findings, and in addition to that analyzed the relationship between each group’s digital literacy scores utilizing the Mann–Whitney U test comparing digital literacy scores to socio-demographic data obtained from the cross-sectional study.
Result: A total of 117 health care professionals participated. The two areas that demonstrated the highest levels of competency were (1) information and data literacy 36.66% of respondents scored within this area and (2) communication and collaboration 35.47% of respondents scored within this area. Digital content development and problem-solving skills exhibited significant gaps in digital literacy among healthcare professionals in Pakistan. According to the survey results, 47.29% of survey respondents were identified as being at lower or lower-to-moderate competence for digital content development skills, and 52.43% demonstrated the same capabilities for problem-solving skill-sets, with only 25.64% of survey respondents being classified as demonstrating a high level of competence associated with having digital competency related to safety. The study revealed a statistically significant relationship between the various aspects of digital literacy and the following demographic factors (marital status, professional background, and problem-solving skills). The only demographic characteristic that did not show statistical significance was age. Conclusion: In conclusion, the study highlights the notable deficits in advanced digital literacy skills possessed by healthcare professionals in Pakistan, which presents a significant barrier for the effective implementation of healthcare digitization at a national level. Although the provision of basic digital competencies is relatively prevalent, there is an urgent need for target-focused, domain-specific training on digital content development, safety, and problem-solving. In order to successfully implement electronic medical records and to facilitate broader digital health transformation initiatives in Pakistan, healthcare professionals need to have structured capacity-building initiatives designed to enhance their digital literacy.