A Delphi Study on Identifying Competencies in Virtual Healthcare for Healthcare Professionals.

Abstract

Virtual care adoption accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the need for healthcare professionals to develop relevant competencies. However, limited evidence exists on the core competencies required for quality virtual care delivery. This study aimed to identify the critical competencies physicians, nurses, and other health professionals need for adequate virtual care provision in Saudi Arabia using a Delphi method. A 3-round Delphi technique was applied with a panel of 42 experts, including policymakers, healthcare professionals, academicians, and telehealth specialists. In Round 1, an open-ended questionnaire elicited competencies needed for virtual care. The competencies were distilled and rated for importance in Rounds 2 and 3 until consensus was achieved. Consensus emerged on 151 competencies across 33 domains. The most prominent domains were communication (15 competencies), professionalism (13), leadership (12), health informatics (5), digital literacy (5), and clinical expertise (11).