Professionals' Perceptions of the Management of Digital Competence Sharing in Healthcare and Associated Background Factors: A Cross‐Sectional Study

TL;DR

Healthcare professionals in Finland report weak management of digital competence sharing, with older workers and those in certain care settings feeling the most unsupported.

Contribution

This study identifies background factors influencing perceptions of digital competence sharing in healthcare organizations.

Findings

Overall management of digital competence sharing was perceived as weak by healthcare professionals.

Older professionals and those in inpatient and primary care settings reported the least support for digital competence sharing.

Background factors like age, work experience, and clinical environment significantly influenced perceptions.

Abstract

To describe professionals' perceptions of the management of digital competence sharing in healthcare and associated background factors.

A descriptive cross‐sectional study.

The study used an online survey involving 227 healthcare professionals from three public and one private healthcare organisation in Finland. Data was collected using the management of digital competence sharing (MDCS) instrument and analysed using descriptive statistics, independent sample t‐tests and one‐way ANOVA.

Based on the professionals' perceptions, the overall management of digital competence sharing was weak. They perceived the highest level of creation of a friendly and safe digital organisational atmosphere while the lowest level of provision of resources and opportunities for digital competence sharing. Background factors, including gender, age, work experience in healthcare, organisation and clinical environment, showed statistically significant differences in how professionals perceived the management of digital competence sharing.

The results emphasised the need for increased managers' attention to digital competence development, prioritising and supporting digital competence sharing among healthcare professionals.

The results can be utilised in healthcare management to enhance the digital competence sharing among healthcare professionals and the use of existing digital competence to benefit the work community.

The importance of digital competence is increasing among healthcare professionals, but at the same time, they perceive inadequate management support in this area. This study revealed limited management of digital competence sharing in healthcare organisations, particularly among older professionals and those in inpatient and primary care settings. These results can be applied in managers' training to support and promote digital competence among healthcare professionals.

The STrengthening the Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) checklist.

There is no patient or public contribution.