Identifying Social Media Competencies for Health Professionals: An International Modified Delphi Study to Determine Consensus for Curricular Design - 12/05/22

Doi : 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2022.02.016

Yusuf Yilmaz, PhD ^a, Teresa M. Chan, MD, MHPE ^b, Brent Thoma, MD, MA, MSc ^c, Jessica G.Y. Luc, MD ^d, Mary Haas, MD ^e, Carl Preiksaitis, MD ^f, Victoria Tran, BHSc ^g, Michael Gottlieb, MD ^h,^⁎
^a Office of Continuing Professional Development Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
^b Divisions of Education & Innovation and Emergency Medicine, Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
^c Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan, Canada
^d Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
^e Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
^f Department of Emergency Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA
^g Health Sciences Education MSc Program, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
^h Department of Emergency Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL

^∗Corresponding Author.

Abstract

Study objective

The use of social media by health professionals is widespread. However, there is a lack of training to support the effective use of these novel platforms that account for the nuances of an effective health and research communication. We sought to identify the competencies needed by health care professionals to develop an effective social media presence as a medical professional, with the goal of building a social media curriculum.

Methods

We conducted a modified Delphi study, utilizing Kraiger’s Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes framework to identify appropriate items for inclusion in a social media curriculum targeted at health care professionals. Experts in this space were defined as health care professionals who had delivered workshops, published papers, or developed prominent social media tools/accounts. They were recruited through a multimodal campaign to complete a series of 3 survey rounds designed to build consensus. In keeping with prior studies, a threshold of 80% endorsement was used for inclusion in the final list of items.

Results

Ninety-eight participants met the expert criteria and were invited to participate in the study. Of the 98 participants, 92 (94%) experts completed the first round; of the 92 experts who completed the first round, 83 (90%) completed the second round; and of the 83 experts who completed the second round, 81 (98%) completed the third round of the Delphi study. Eighteen new items were suggested in the first survey and incorporated into the study. A total of 46 items met the 80% inclusion threshold.

Conclusion

We identified 46 items that were believed to be important for health care professionals using social media. This list should inform the development of curricular activities and objectives.

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Plan

Introduction

Background

Importance

Goals of This Investigation

Materials and Methods

Study Design

Study Participants

Survey Development

Data Collection and Analysis

Results

Limitations

Discussion

	Please see page 561 for the Editor’s Capsule Summary of this article.
	Supervising editors: Lauren Westafer, DO, MPH; Richard C. Dart, MD, PhD. Specific detailed information about possible conflict of interest for individual editors is available at editors.
	Author contributions: All authors were responsible for study concept, design, and data collection. YY, TMC, and MG were responsible for data analysis. All authors drafted the article and made critical revisions. YY, TMC, and MG take joint responsibility for the paper as a whole.
	All authors attest to meeting the four ICMJE.org authorship criteria: (1) Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work; AND (2) Drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content; AND (3) Final approval of the version to be published; AND (4) Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.
	Funding and support: By Annals policy, all authors are required to disclose any and all commercial, financial, and other relationships in any way related to the subject of this article as per ICMJE conflict of interest guidelines (see www.icmje.org). The authors have stated that no such relationships exist. Dr. Chan received funding for her work on this project from the PSI foundation. Dr. Yilmaz is the recipient of the TUBITAK Postdoctoral Fellowship grant.
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