Digivaardig in de Zorg
The Digital Skills in Healthcare (Digivaardig in de Zorg) initiative is a national, open-source knowledge and information hub that offers a repository of online learning resources to enhance digital skills of healthcare professionals and support medical and healthcare institutions' digital transformation. The aim of the initiative is to contribute to the digital understanding and knowledge of healthcare professionals and help health administrators and directors of hospitals and healthcare institutions chart progressive learning paths and foster future-proof work skills.
The Digivaardig in de Zorg hub provides an innovative environment for healthcare organisations interested in upskilling their workforce and facilitating the use and deployment of technology for medical use. The platform's repository collates a wide range of different learning materials, resources and activities on digital skills, such as videos, short quizzes and tests, games, complete training guides and methodologies in several key medical sectors:
- Care and rehabilitation for persons with disabilities.
- Nursing homes and care at home.
- Mental health care.
- Hospitals.
- General practitioner (GP) surgeries.
Under each area, Digivaardig in de Zorg also offers self-assessment tools, which can help healthcare organisations identify specific learning goals and advance the digital understanding of employees and directors alike. A self-assessment tool for healthcare managers is also available. Employees can receive certification upon successful completion of certain modules, such as e-Health, technological applications, information security and privacy, or automation in the context of the care home. The initiative provides further support to the upskilling of healthcare institutions and organisations, by training and appointing a “Digicoach” and “I-nurse” within each establishment, who acts as innovation ambassadors and supports the implementation of e-health solutions.
The Digital Skills in Healthcare (Digivaardig in de Zorg) initiative has been particularly successful in establishing an available and accessible digital helpline and a helpdesk for questions related to digital and healthcare. It regularly publishes tips, webinars and mails newsletters with information and relevant updates. One factor, pointing to the strength of the initiative is its scope and objective of providing a large network, which brings together experts and educators at the intersection between digital transformation and healthcare. Around 28,000 users accessed the platform in 2019 and as of January 2020, more than 700 open-source learning resources can be accessed. The initiative has a strong potential for scalability and replicability: much of the material can be tailored and adapted to the needs of healthcare professionals in other countries and areas.
