Title : Examining the competency framework: Assessing skills required for health informatics practitioner in the digital health landscape
Abstract:
As healthcare systems transitioned towards digital transformation, health informatics practitioners particularly nursing informatics professionals were required to evolve beyond foundational IT skills to master advanced competencies in data management, clinical decision support, system optimization, and digital health technologies. Despite the availability of several competency frameworks in the literature, gaps remained in their applicability to specific roles. As digital health advanced, regularly updating and refining these frameworks is key to ensuring nursing informatics professionals could adapt, make informed decisions, and enhance patient care in a rapidly changing healthcare environment. This study aimed to evaluate existing competencies, suggest enhancements and recommend a role-based framework that empowered nursing informatics professionals to address the evolving demands of their roles. Using a multi-method qualitative approach including job description analysis, semi-structured interviews, expert reviews, and focus group discussions, the study assessed the existing skill set, identified competency gaps, and contextualized key informatics roles within Hamad Medical Corporation – Qatar. At Hamad Medical Corporation, nursing informatics professionals play multiple roles ranging from analytics, system optimization to staff education and applied research. The findings indicated that many frameworks often overlooked key areas such as the software development life cycle, change management, project management, and data management. Through semi-structured interviews, the study team developed a refined competency framework (with basic, intermediate, and advanced levels), ensuring it reflected the actual practice model and covered all main areas of informatics roles. It defined competencies across levels based on knowledge, work standards, autonomy, and decision-making. The framework was reviewed by nursing informatics experts, who ensured alignment with real-world practice and reinforced relevance in areas such as research, education, and clinical information systems. This initiative offered a structured, localized framework designed to strengthen informatics capacity, support digital integration, and contribute to quality patient care. The framework also served as a foundational tool for workforce planning, training, and policy development, ensuring nursing informatics professionals were equipped to thrive in a technologically advanced healthcare environment.
In light of these findings, it is recommended that Hamad Medical Corporation expand the application of the developed informatics competency framework to other specialties, ensuring a comprehensive and standardized approach across the organization. Additionally, conducting follow-up studies to evaluate the framework’s impact on nursing informatics practice, staff retention, and operational efficiency will provide valuable insights for ongoing improvements. Furthermore, collaborative efforts with academic institutions to integrate digital literacy and informatics competencies into nursing education were considered essential for fostering early skill acquisition among future professionals. Leveraging competency data for recruitment, role delineation, and succession planning would further support the creation of a future-ready nursing informatics workforce. Collectively, these actions offered a strategic path forward for strengthening informatics capabilities, advancing digital transformation, and enhancing the quality of services within the dynamic landscape of smart healthcare systems.
