A Framework for Mobile Health, Smartphone/Device and App Competencies for Psychiatry and Medicine (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Technology use is ubiquitous in the digital age, especially in the X, Millennial/Y and Z generations. To ensure quality care, clinicians need skills, knowledge and attitudes that can be measured. This paper proposes mobile health, smartphone/device and app competencies based on a literature review, expert consensus and recommendations of the Institute of Medicine’s Health Professions Educational Summit. OBJECTIVE Outline competencies for mH, SP/D and apps using the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) framework. METHODS Literature is integrated on patient-, learner-, competency- and outcome-based themes from the fields of technology, healthcare, pedagogy and business. Mobile health, smartphone/device and app competencies may be situated within the graduate medical education domains of patient care, medical knowledge, practice based learning and improvement, systems based practice, professionalism, and interpersonal skills and communication. Teaching methods are suggested to align competency outcomes, learning context and evaluation. RESULTS Health care via mobile health (mH), smartphone/device (SP/D) and apps have enough similarities to in-person and telepsychiatric care that competencies can be placed in milestone domains. Additional competencies are needed since mH includes clinical decision support, device/technology assessment/selection and information flow management across an e-platform. Since care with mH may have asynchronous components – like social media – competencies for trainees and clinicians may help them shift traditional learning, teaching, supervisory and evaluation practices to achieve targeted outcomes. Clinicians have to best assess, triage and treat patients using technology in a much broader context, while maintaining the therapeutic relationship. Curricula with interactive case-, problem- and system-based teaching are suggested for faculty, along with clinical exposure to new technologies and adaptation of systems-based practice. Health systems need to manage change and create a positive e-culture. CONCLUSIONS Research is needed on implementing and evaluating mH competencies, organization change with technology and how a paradigm shift like mobile health re-contextualizes digital healthcare CLINICALTRIAL Not applicable.