Patients' perspectives of the digital counselling competence of healthcare professionals-A qualitative descriptive study.

AIM:To describe the perspectives of patients using digital services on the digital counselling competence of healthcare professionals. DESIGN:A descriptive qualitative interview study. METHODS:The analysed data were collected in Finland during the spring of 2023 via 11 individual, semi-structured interviews from participants who had received video-mediated counselling. The interviews were carried out online through Microsoft Teams and adhered to an interview guide using main and ancillary questions. The data were analysed using inductive content analysis. RESULTS:The patients' perspectives of healthcare professionals' digital counselling competence were related to five categories: (1) competence in preparing for video-mediated counselling, (2) digital competence in implementing the video-mediated counselling, (3) competence in interacting with the patient during the video-mediated counselling, (4) competence in supporting the patient's self-management in video-mediated counselling and (5) competence in self-development as a digital counsellor. CONCLUSION:The results of this study indicate that healthcare professionals need to possess a wide range of digital counselling competencies when providing video-mediated counselling. This study thus lays the groundwork for future studies of patients' perspectives of healthcare professionals' digital counselling competence. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND/OR PATIENT CARE:The results of this study can be used to develop healthcare professionals' digital counselling competence and patient-centered care. The presented insights can also be used to map further research topics. REPORTING METHOD:The Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ) checklist was used when reporting the results. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION:Patients who had experience in using digital services participated in the data collection of this study. IMPACT:What problem did the study address? Healthcare professionals may well need to develop new competencies as counselling is increasingly moving to digital environments. What were the main findings? The main areas of digital counselling competence that emerged from the patients' perspectives were competence in preparing for video-mediated counselling, digital competence, competence in interacting with the patient, competence in supporting self-management and competence in self-development as a digital counsellor. Where and on whom will the research have an impact? The research can be used to build and develop healthcare professionals' digital counselling competence, as well as improve the delivery of patient-centered care.