Digital adaptability competency for healthcare professionals: a modified explorative e-Delphi study.

AIM: To establish items of the digital adaptability competency for healthcare professionals. BACKGROUND: While the application and deployment of eHealth has continued at a rapid pace, healthcare professionals are expected to keep up and join the digital evolution. The implementation of eHealth requires a change in the healthcare professionals' competencies of which the ability to adapt to technological change is fundamental. There's more needed than just ICT skills, overall competencies to be digitally adaptable between patientcare and the use of eHealth are needed. Today, a distinct and relevant list of items for healthcare professionals related to the competency of digital adaptability is missing. DESIGN: An exploratory modified e-Delphi study. METHODS: This study was conducted in Flanders, Belgium. An expert group (n = 12) consisting of 2 policymakers of the Belgian federal government, 3 eHealth managers of large organizations in the Belgian healthcare sector, 1 nurse, 1 midwife, 2 health service users and 3 researchers specialized in eHealth research. Through a literature review an initial list of items was developed, consisting of 67 statements. A two-round Delphi survey was performed where experts could rate the relevance of each item. The third round comprised an online meeting, where the expert group discussed the remaining items until agreement was reached to retain, modify, or eliminate the item. RESULTS: In round 1, eleven items were included to the final document. In round 2, ten items were included. In round 3, the panel unanimously agreed to add six items, one item was modified into two separate items. In total, 29 items were included in the final document. CONCLUSIONS: The rather abstract concept of digital adaptability is now transformed into a more pragmatic concept of 29 items, reflecting the practical competencies of healthcare professionals necessary to be digital adaptable.

Role of resilience in healthcare workers' distress and somatization during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study across Flanders, Belgium.

AIM: To evaluate the impact and the possible role of psychological resilience in the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak on healthcare workers' mental and physical well-being in Belgium. DESIGN: This cross-sectional, survey-based study enrolled 1376 healthcare workers across Belgium from 17 April 2020 to 24 April 2020. METHODS: The study sample consisted of direct care workers (nurses and doctors), supporting staff and management staff members. The main outcomes are resilience, distress and somatization. RESULTS: Higher educational level was associated with lower symptoms of distress and somatization. Physicians exhibited the lowest risk of experiencing heightened levels of distress and somatization. Controlling for confounding factors, higher levels of resilience were associated with a 12% reduced chance of increased distress levels and 5% lower chance of increased somatization levels. Our results suggest the potentially buffering role of mental resilience on those working on the frontline during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak.