Mapping eHealth Education: Review of eHealth Content in Health and Medical Degrees at a Metropolitan Tertiary Institute in Australia
BackgroundWith the increasing use of digital technology in society, there is a greater need for health professionals to engage in eHealth-enabled clinical practice. For this, higher education institutions need to suitably prepare graduates of health professional degrees with...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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JMIR Publications
2021-08-01
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| Series: | JMIR Medical Education |
| Online Access: | https://mededu.jmir.org/2021/3/e16440 |
| _version_ | 1797735839339380736 |
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| author | Melanie Keep Anna Janssen Deborah McGregor Melissa Brunner Melissa Therese Baysari Deleana Quinn Tim Shaw |
| author_facet | Melanie Keep Anna Janssen Deborah McGregor Melissa Brunner Melissa Therese Baysari Deleana Quinn Tim Shaw |
| author_sort | Melanie Keep |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
BackgroundWith the increasing use of digital technology in society, there is a greater need for health professionals to engage in eHealth-enabled clinical practice. For this, higher education institutions need to suitably prepare graduates of health professional degrees with the capabilities required to practice in eHealth contexts.
ObjectiveThis study aims to understand how eHealth is taught at a major Australian university and the challenges and suggestions for integrating eHealth into allied health, nursing, and medical university curricula.
MethodsCross-disciplinary subject unit outlines (N=77) were reviewed for eHealth-related content, and interviews and focus groups were conducted with the corresponding subject unit coordinators (n=26). Content analysis was used to identify themes around challenges and opportunities for embedding eHealth in teaching.
ResultsThere was no evidence of a standardized approach to eHealth teaching across any of the health degrees at the university. Where eHealth content existed, it tended to focus on clinical applications rather than systems and policies, data analysis and knowledge creation, or system and technology implementation. Despite identifying numerous challenges to embedding eHealth in their subjects, unit coordinators expressed enthusiasm for eHealth teaching and were keen to adjust content and learning activities.
ConclusionsExplicit strategies are required to address how eHealth capabilities can be embedded across clinical health degrees. Unit coordinators require support, including access to relevant information, teaching resources, and curriculum mapping, which clearly articulates eHealth capabilities for students across their degrees. Degree-wide conversations and collaboration are required between professional bodes, clinical practice, and universities to overcome the practical and perceived challenges of integrating eHealth in health curricula. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T13:03:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ee6a560c0acc4ae48214e0b19033a735 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2369-3762 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T13:03:56Z |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
| publisher | JMIR Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | JMIR Medical Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-ee6a560c0acc4ae48214e0b19033a7352023-08-28T18:32:58ZengJMIR PublicationsJMIR Medical Education2369-37622021-08-0173e1644010.2196/16440Mapping eHealth Education: Review of eHealth Content in Health and Medical Degrees at a Metropolitan Tertiary Institute in AustraliaMelanie Keephttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-9516-0303Anna Janssenhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-6611-9651Deborah McGregorhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-2234-7331Melissa Brunnerhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-6823-5189Melissa Therese Baysarihttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-1645-9126Deleana Quinnhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-7479-9319Tim Shawhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-0783-1918 BackgroundWith the increasing use of digital technology in society, there is a greater need for health professionals to engage in eHealth-enabled clinical practice. For this, higher education institutions need to suitably prepare graduates of health professional degrees with the capabilities required to practice in eHealth contexts. ObjectiveThis study aims to understand how eHealth is taught at a major Australian university and the challenges and suggestions for integrating eHealth into allied health, nursing, and medical university curricula. MethodsCross-disciplinary subject unit outlines (N=77) were reviewed for eHealth-related content, and interviews and focus groups were conducted with the corresponding subject unit coordinators (n=26). Content analysis was used to identify themes around challenges and opportunities for embedding eHealth in teaching. ResultsThere was no evidence of a standardized approach to eHealth teaching across any of the health degrees at the university. Where eHealth content existed, it tended to focus on clinical applications rather than systems and policies, data analysis and knowledge creation, or system and technology implementation. Despite identifying numerous challenges to embedding eHealth in their subjects, unit coordinators expressed enthusiasm for eHealth teaching and were keen to adjust content and learning activities. ConclusionsExplicit strategies are required to address how eHealth capabilities can be embedded across clinical health degrees. Unit coordinators require support, including access to relevant information, teaching resources, and curriculum mapping, which clearly articulates eHealth capabilities for students across their degrees. Degree-wide conversations and collaboration are required between professional bodes, clinical practice, and universities to overcome the practical and perceived challenges of integrating eHealth in health curricula.https://mededu.jmir.org/2021/3/e16440 |
| spellingShingle | Melanie Keep Anna Janssen Deborah McGregor Melissa Brunner Melissa Therese Baysari Deleana Quinn Tim Shaw Mapping eHealth Education: Review of eHealth Content in Health and Medical Degrees at a Metropolitan Tertiary Institute in Australia JMIR Medical Education |
| title | Mapping eHealth Education: Review of eHealth Content in Health and Medical Degrees at a Metropolitan Tertiary Institute in Australia |
| title_full | Mapping eHealth Education: Review of eHealth Content in Health and Medical Degrees at a Metropolitan Tertiary Institute in Australia |
| title_fullStr | Mapping eHealth Education: Review of eHealth Content in Health and Medical Degrees at a Metropolitan Tertiary Institute in Australia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mapping eHealth Education: Review of eHealth Content in Health and Medical Degrees at a Metropolitan Tertiary Institute in Australia |
| title_short | Mapping eHealth Education: Review of eHealth Content in Health and Medical Degrees at a Metropolitan Tertiary Institute in Australia |
| title_sort | mapping ehealth education review of ehealth content in health and medical degrees at a metropolitan tertiary institute in australia |
| url | https://mededu.jmir.org/2021/3/e16440 |
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