Are physiotherapists expected to be competent in digital health practice? Meta-synthesis of international physiotherapy practice competency standards

Digital health technology is progressively transforming physiotherapy practice. Despite a maturing body of literature relating to physiotherapy digital health capability, research examining digital health physiotherapy competency standards is both lacking and lagging. Examine international professional practice competency standards for physiotherapists to identify themes common to digital health practice competency, published by international peak organizations governing physiotherapy practice. Systematic meta-synthesis of international peak organization physiotherapy practice competency standards. The study was undertaken over nine stages. Competency statements related to digital health were extracted, and further coded into resultant themes. Eleven documents were analyzed. Fifty-two statements explicitly referenced digital health competency. Identified themes were as follows: 1) digital health data governance; 2) digital health data translation; and 3) digital health technologies. Where digital health-related competency statements do exist, they are skewed toward health information management activities. Digital health practice is currently under-represented in competency standards for physiotherapists. Workforce advancement in light of the burgeoning impact of digital health will prompt further updates to professional competency standards set by our peak organizations. This will have a flow on effect, whereby education providers (e.g. universities and other professional development providers) should consider curriculum and training that prepares individuals for digitally enabled practice.

数字健康技术正逐步重塑物理治疗的临床实践。尽管围绕物理治疗数字健康能力的研究文献已日趋丰富，但针对数字健康物理治疗能力标准的相关研究仍较为匮乏且滞后。本研究针对国际物理治疗行业主管机构发布的物理治疗师专业实践能力标准展开系统元综合分析，旨在提炼数字健康实践能力相关的共性主题。本次研究共分为九个实施阶段：首先提取与数字健康相关的能力表述，并进一步编码归纳出相应的主题类别。本次分析共纳入11份文件，其中52项表述明确提及数字健康能力。经提炼的主题类别如下：1）数字健康数据治理；2）数字健康数据转译；3）数字健康技术。现有提及数字健康的能力表述，大多偏向于健康信息管理相关工作。当前物理治疗师能力标准中，数字健康实践相关内容的占比仍显不足。鉴于数字健康的影响日益凸显，物理治疗从业人员的能力提升需求将推动各主管机构进一步更新专业能力标准。这将产生连锁反应：各类教育机构（如高校及其他专业发展培训机构）应着手设计相关课程与培训项目，助力从业者适应数字化驱动的临床实践。