A landscape analysis of Digital Health Technology in medical schools: preparing students for the future of health care

Abstract

Although Digital Health Technology is increasingly implemented in hospitals and clinics, physicians are not sufficiently equipped with the competencies needed to optimize technology utilization. Medical schools seem to be the most appropriate channel to better prepare future physicians for this development. The purpose of this research study is to investigate the extent to which top-ranked medical schools equip future physicians with the competencies necessary for them to leverage Digital Health Technology in the provision of care. This research work relied on a descriptive landscape analysis, and was composed of two phases: Phase I aimed at investigating the articulation of the direction of the selected universities and medical schools to identify any expressed inclination towards teaching innovation or Digital Health Technology. In phase II, medical schools’ websites were thoroughly analyzed to discover how innovation and Digital Health Technology are integrated in their curricula. Among the 60 medical schools that were analyzed, none mentioned any type of Digital Health Technology in their mission statements (that of the universities, in general, and medical schools, specifically). When investigating the medical schools’ curricula to figure-out how universities nurture their learners in relation to Digital Health Technology, four universities covering different Digital Health Technology areas were identified. The results of the current study shed light on the untapped potential of working towards better equipping medical students with competencies that will enable them to leverage Digital Health Technology in their future practice and in turn enhance the quality of care.