# Reclaiming the concept of professionalism in the digital context: a principle-based concept analysis

## TL;DR

This paper explores how professionalism in healthcare should be redefined in the digital age, emphasizing the need for a clear framework to guide healthcare professionals using social media.

## Contribution

The study introduces a principle-based concept analysis of e-professionalism, highlighting the need for a unified framework and tailored education for digital healthcare practices.

## Key findings

- E-professionalism is recognized as a distinct concept but lacks a standard definition and framework.
- Variations in interpretation of e-professionalism suggest a need for a multi-construct framework.
- Generational differences in digital literacy highlight the importance of tailored educational strategies for healthcare professionals.

## Abstract

There has been an alarming surge in the usage of social networking sites (SNSs) by healthcare professionals (HCPs) without adherence to the principles of professionalism. The widespread use of SNSs in medical practices has been coupled with reports of breaches of professional behaviors. Despite the benefits of SNSs, skepticism prevails about a clearly defined role for SNSs within medicine based upon the core principles of professionalism. Thus, there is a need to understand the manifestations of professionalism in the digital context, classically known as e-professionalism. This study systematically examines HCPs’ perceptions of e-professionalism to advance a thorough understanding of e-professionalism.

This concept analysis was performed using the principle-based approach of Penrod and Hupcey. In January 2023, we searched the databases of PubMed and ISI Web of Science for English-language articles specific to ‘e-professionalism’ in the medical field. The final selected research corpus of 63 articles was analyzed in this study.

A comprehensive analysis of the selected articles highlighted that e-professionalism is an epistemologically mature and distinct concept by a standard definition. However, inconsistencies in conceptual meanings were reported due to varied interpretations despite digital literacy. The pragmatic utility showed a lack of sound methodological and philosophical paradigms. Perhaps the rapid technological advancements and manifestations have hampered linguistic maturity. However, logically, e-professionalism is perceived as an extension of conventional professionalism but with a focus on a distinct framework with a set of attributes to be digitally relevant.

This study identifies a scarcity of research about the collective perspective of essential stakeholders, underpinning the need to further explore e-professionalism due to its emerging complex nature within the digital context. There is also a recognition that a framework is essential to guide future HCPs to yield a profound understanding and to provide remediation strategies in the rapidly advancing medical field in digital realm.

This principle-based concept analysis provides a nuanced understanding of e-professionalism, addressing its theoretical integration, practical utility, linguistic challenges, and logical boundaries.E-professionalism is acknowledged as a distinct concept across medical disciplines but variations in its interpretation demands a standard, unified, and multi-construct framework.A wealth of generational perceptions surround the concept of e-professionalism, including digital literacy and competency gap, signifying the importance of tailored educational strategies to ensure healthcare professionals uphold high standards while practicing in the digital realm.

This principle-based concept analysis provides a nuanced understanding of e-professionalism, addressing its theoretical integration, practical utility, linguistic challenges, and logical boundaries.

E-professionalism is acknowledged as a distinct concept across medical disciplines but variations in its interpretation demands a standard, unified, and multi-construct framework.

A wealth of generational perceptions surround the concept of e-professionalism, including digital literacy and competency gap, signifying the importance of tailored educational strategies to ensure healthcare professionals uphold high standards while practicing in the digital realm.