Powered by the French Ministry of Health and Prevention: Digital Health Delegation
France is one of the first countries in the European Union to make digital health a constituent part of health training curricula following the implementation of several legal acts. It is interesting to understand why and how this training will be implemented.
The French Ministry of Health and Prevention is keen to keep you updated on some major developments:
- Digital training frameworks have been/are being developed to upgrade the digital health skills of all those professionals active in health and care delivery
- A budget of 122 million euros has been allocated to the implementation of these digital health frameworks
- The focus of these frameworks is on
- Using digital tools
- Collaborating better and communicating better thanks to digital tools
- Securing patient data
- Preparing for future models of care.
A digital health training framework has been set up
The French Digital Health Acceleration Strategy (in French, SASN) is part of the national “France 2030” competitiveness investment plan. The strategy runs from 2021-2025. Its first objective is centred on developing training in digital health, the confidence of stakeholders in digital health, and the professional attractiveness of the sector. In order to meet this ambition, the French Digital Health Delegation (DNS) has – as a priority – promoted a number of tools and guidelines for healthcare professionals, whether they are in full-time and life-long education.
So far, several frameworks have been developed. Two full-time training courses for the following types of professionals have already been published :
- Healthcare professionals in higher education (mandatory by legislation for 12 professions, implementation by 2024-2025)
- Healthcare professionals in lower / equal to high school education level (mandatory by legislation for two professions, implementation by 2024-2025)
- Social workers (two frameworks: one for educators and assistants, the second for carers) (to be implemented in 2026)
- Administrative personnel (under construction, to be implemented in 2026).
As a result of these deadlines, 60% of healthcare learners will be familiar with digital health challenges by 2025, and 100% of learners in this sector will have been reached by 2027.
All of these frameworks, as well as the relevant skills for life-long training, are based and deployed around these five areas of competence: cybersecurity, health data, telehealth, communication, and digital tools.
Putting the plan into action
Two first steps are putting this plan in motion. They are in the “Call for Manifestation of Interest” in the topic area of “Skills and Professions for the Future (its abbreviation in French is AMI CMA), and its digital health section. This 122 million euros funding programme has already allotted 24 awards, mostly to universities, to put in place digital health training programmes for future healthcare professionals, healthcare structure managers, as well as digital health engineering and legal experts.
On one hand, the DNS is working with funding structures to introduce life-long training paths. The aim is to develop opportunities for digital health training quite independently of the workers’ status (whether a member of a liberal profession, a public sector employee or a private sector employee). Thus, the main organisation for the liberal professions (in French, ADPC) has already integrated digital health in its offer for training 2023-2025.
On another hand, an assessment programme has been initiated with “PIX Pro Santé”, a skills evaluation platform, based on the five areas of competence previously stated, like cybersecurity. This tool will enable professionals who are on life-long and full-time training paths to measure and acknowledge their levels of competence in digital health. A test phase will begin with the AMI CMA awardees in order to assess the programme and adjust it, in the best way possible, for healthcare professionals from September 2023.
This multidimensional plan has been made to improve and facilitate the healthcare ecosystem in France. The focus is on :
- Using digital tools to improve patient care and save time on administrative tasks
- Collaborating better with other professionals or organisations and communicating better with patients and carers
- Securing patient care by implementing better practices in protecting healthcare data and preventing cyber attacks
- Preparing for future care methods, by understanding the challenges posed by tomorrow's new technologies (e.g., artificial intelligence, connected objects, and telehealth.
In a nutshell
As digital uses are growing in importance and diversity in the healthcare ecosystem, France is determined to make digital skills part of every healthcare professional's training path. This implementation is based on receipt of regular and direct feedback from diverse professionals in the health, care, and digital fields.
As a result, French stakeholders expect the initiative to:
- Evolve in harmony with the fieldwork undertaken
- Keep up with the new technologies and innovations in order to offer services that are in line and adapted to them
- Highlight cooperation with France's European neighbours.
