Evaluating Digital Literacy Development in Healthcare Professionals at St. Mary's Hospital

Thesis Abstract

The rapid integration of digital technologies into healthcare delivery underscores the critical importance of digital literacy among healthcare professionals, with implications for patient safety, service efficiency, and clinical decision-making. Despite substantial investments in digital health tools at St. Mary's Hospital, there remains limited empirical data on the extent and quality of digital literacy development among its healthcare staff, highlighting a significant gap in understanding how effectively digital competencies are acquired and applied in clinical contexts. This study aims to evaluate the current state of digital literacy development among healthcare professionals at St. Mary's Hospital, identify influencing factors, and propose strategies for enhancement. The specific objectives include assessing the levels of digital literacy across different professional categories, examining the relationship between demographic variables and digital competence, exploring perceived barriers and facilitators to digital literacy growth, and evaluating the impact of existing training programs on digital skill acquisition. A mixed-methods research design was employed, integrating quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews to achieve a comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon. The quantitative component involved a cross-sectional survey administered to a stratified random sample of 250 healthcare professionals, including physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and allied health staff. The survey instrument was based on the widely recognized Digital Competence Framework for Healthcare Professionals (DigCompOrg), adapted for local context and validated through a pilot study with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.89. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analysis via SPSS to identify predictors of digital literacy levels. The qualitative component consisted of semi-structured interviews with 20 purposively selected professionals from different departments, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed through thematic analysis using NVivo software to uncover nuanced insights into experiential and contextual factors affecting digital literacy development. The anticipated findings are that digital literacy levels among healthcare professionals at St. Mary's are variable, with higher competencies linked to factors such as years of ICT training, prior exposure to digital health tools, and engagement in continuous professional development activities. The analysis is expected to reveal significant barriers, including insufficient training resources, lack of institutional support, and perceived complexity of digital systems, contrasting with facilitators such as mentorship, peer collaboration, and positive attitudes towards technology adoption. The regression models are projected to establish that professional role, prior digital experience, and participation in ongoing training significantly predict digital literacy scores. This study contributes to the body of knowledge by providing empirical evidence on digital competency gaps within a primary healthcare setting, contextualized within the broader framework of digital health transformation. It extends existing theories such as the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Digital Competence Framework by contextualizing their applicability within healthcare staff development. The findings are expected to inform targeted policy interventions, curriculum development for continuous education, and tailored capacity-building programs aimed at fostering a digitally competent healthcare workforce. The main conclusion emphasizes the necessity of comprehensive, ongoing digital literacy initiatives integrated into professional development frameworks at St. Mary’s Hospital. Recommendations include implementing structured digital literacy training aligned with identified gaps, fostering a participatory approach to digital system design to enhance usability and acceptance, and establishing monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to track progress. The study suggests that embedding digital competence as a core component of healthcare professional training will enhance overall service quality, safeguard patient safety, and support sustainable digital health advancements within the hospital. Further research is encouraged to explore longitudinal impacts of targeted interventions and to expand the scope to other healthcare institutions for comparative analysis.