Inherent requirements for Digital Health

1

As digital health service delivery covers such a broad platform, there exists a respective code of ethics relevant to the discipline. However, digital health standards always promote best practice guides, methodologies and principles to promote person-centred care in a safe and effective manner.  

2

Student demonstrates:

• Ethical and professional behaviour in the academic environment and/or when the student is deemed to represent the University.

3

Justification of inherent requirement:

• Adherence to best practice guidelines, methodologies and principles facilitates safe, competent interactions, and use of data for students and the people’s health data they engage with. This supports the physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual well-being of all and accords with the University Mission and values. 

4

Adjustments must be consistent with professional codes, standards or University policy, and must not result in unethical behaviour. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Campus Disability Advisor.

5

Exemplars:

• Complying with academic and non-academic codes of conduct, policies and professional standards.
• Respecting access to personal data including confidential information through exposure to health records.

1

Behavioural stability is required to function appropriately and effectively when accessing health data or as a leader in a challenging digital health environment. 

2

Student demonstrates:

• Behavioural stability in working autonomously, collaboratively, ethically and inclusively in a diverse academic environment and in the workplace when representing the University.

3

Justification of inherent requirement:

• Behavioural stability is required to work individually,collaboratively and ethically in a rapidly evolving and fast-paced digital health environment.
• Students will be required to engage in ethical discussions surrounding datastorage, access and usage, critical reflection of their own work practices and peer debate. They must demonstrate behavioural stability in these activities. 

4

Adjustments must support the demonstration of stable, safe, effective and professional behaviour in academic work and workplace projects. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Campus Disability Advisor.

5

Exemplars:

• Demonstrating responsiveness and respect when responding to critique in the form of peer-review assignments and other online discussions. 
• Engaging professionally with industry when negotiating use of data and work-based projects.  

1

Professional practitioners operating in the discipline of digital health are governed by a range of legislation, professional standards and codes, policies, procedures and guidelines. 

2

Student demonstrates:

• The capacity to comprehend and practice within required legal parameters.

3

Justification of inherent requirement:

• Knowledge, understanding and adherence to relevant legislation, professional standards and codes, policies, procedures and guidelines is essential for ethical, accountable and safe digital health practice.

4

Adjustments must be consistent with legislative and regulatory requirements and must not compromise adherence to relevant legal standards. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with Campus Disability Advisor.

5

Exemplars:

• Peer discussions and assignments demonstrate respect and compliance with acceptable legal standards for working within the discipline of digital health.

1

Effective and efficient verbal communication, in English, is an essential requirement for working in the context of Australian healthcare.

2

Student demonstrates:

• An ability to comprehend and respond to verbal communication accurately, appropriately, respectfully and in a timely manner. 

3

Justification of Inherent Requirement: 

• Participation and engagement in online-learning activities and discussions requires effective verbal communication to ensure shared understanding and collaboration.
• Effective verbal communication, in English, is required to work within the context of Australian healthcare. 

4

Adjustments for impaired verbal communication must support effectiveness, clarity and verbal accuracy. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Campus Disability Advisor.

5

Exemplars:

• Providing an oral presentation / seminar via an online medium, or to industry.  
• Communicating with peers to engage in online discussion or online group work.

1

Effective non-verbal communication is fundamental to digital health and needs to be respectful, clear, attentive, empathetic and non-judgmental.

2

Student demonstrates: 

• The capacity to recognise, interpret and respond appropriately to behavioural cues.
• Consistent and appropriate awareness of own behaviours, modifying these where the situation requires.
• The ability to maintain constant and appropriate facial expressions, eye contact, posture and personal space.
• Sensitivity to individual differences including sensitive, respectful and appropriate non-verbal communication with people from diverse cultures, gender, sexuality, age, ability, socioeconomic, religious, educational and individually different backgrounds.
• Cultural competence, sensitivity and willingness to work with individuals in the Australian context.
• The ability to listen, display empathy, build rapport and gain trust to allow development of meaningful and effective interactions.
• The ability to create and develop rapport with peers, academic and professional staff conducive to effective working relationships.
• The ability to perceive and interpret non-verbal communication including distress, change in mood, activity or posture.

3

Justification of Inherent Requirement: 

• The ability to observe and understand non-verbal cues assists with building rapport with people and gaining their trust and respect in academic and professional relationships.
• Displaying consistent and appropriate facial expressions, eye contact, being mindful of space, time boundaries and body movements and gestures promotes trust in academic and professional relationships.
• Being sensitive to individual differences displays respect and empathy to others and develops trusting relationships.
• The ability to observe and understand non-verbal cues is essential for the safe and effective observation of patient symptoms and reactions to facilitate the assessment and treatment of patients.

4

Adjustments must enable the recognition, initiation and interpretation of as well as appropriate response to effective non-verbal communication in a timely and contextually appropriate manner. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Campus Disability Adviser.

5

Exemplars: 

• Recognising, interpreting and responding appropriately in classroom and workplace situations.
• Establishing rapport with individuals / groups in a community environment.

1

Effective, appropriate and efficient written communication, in English, is an essential requirement in the context of Australian healthcare.

2

Student demonstrates:

• The capability to construct written communication that is coherent and appropriate to the circumstance.

3

Justification of Inherent Requirement:

• Effective written communication, in English is required within the context of Australian healthcare.

4

5

Exemplars:

• Construct a written assignment to defined academic standards.
• Document and record information accurately and legibly.

1

The capacity to identify, comprehend and integrate theoretical knowledge into digital health service platforms and delivery is an essential skill for any individual working within the digital health space.

2

Student demonstrates:

• The capacity to design, deliver, evaluate and refine meaningful digital health interventions and governance activities for the adoption of digital health and data standards.

3

Justification of Inherent Requirement: 

• Effective digital health governance and interventions require the capacity to identify, comprehend and integrate theoretical knowledge.
• High level cognitive functioning is required to be effective at integrating this knowledge. 

4

Adjustments must support the capacity to acquire, process, develop and implement high order cognition. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Campus Disability Advisor.

5

Exemplars:

• Students demonstrate the capacity to evaluate and refine meaningful digital health interventions and governance activities.  
• Students demonstrate the integration of new knowledge through reflective thinking.

1

Competent literacy skills are essential for safe digital health practice.

2

Student demonstrates:

• The ability to accurately acquire information and accurately convey appropriate effective messages.
• The ability to read and comprehend a range of literature and information.
• The capacity to understand and implement academic conventions to construct written text in a scholarly manner.

3

Justification of Inherent Requirement: 

• The ability to acquire information and to accurately convey messages is fundamental to ensure safe and effective digital health practice.
• The ability to read, decode, interpret and comprehend multiple sources of information is fundamental for the safe and effective digital health practice.

4

Adjustments must demonstrate a capacity to effectively acquire, comprehend, apply and communicate accurate information.  Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Campus Disability Adviser.

5

Exemplars:

• Actively listen to information in a range of settings, including the classroom, clinical settings and other health workplaces.
• Convey a spoken message accurately.
• Paraphrase, summarise and reference in accordance with appropriate academic conventions.
• Demonstrates accurate, concise and clear documentation in the clinical or other workplace settings.

1

Competent and accurate numeracy skills are essential for data analysis and the development of appropriate IT solutions in digital health.

2

Student interprets and correctly applies data, measurements and numerical criteria.

3

Justification of Inherent Requirement: Competent application of numeracy skills is essential in all areas of digital health practice to ensure adherence to high-quality data management principles.

4

Adjustments must support the capacity to appropriately interpret and apply numerical concepts and processes in a timely, accurate and effective manner. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Campus Disability Adviser.

5

Exemplars:

• Demonstrating an understanding of digital health initiatives that involve numeracy skills.
• Collecting and analysing data relevant to the development of digital health solutions for end-users.

1

Working within digital health requires individuals to reflect on specialised technical skills with advanced principles and strategies for digital health adoption to meet current and future health service delivery needs.  

2

Student demonstrates:

• Awareness of own thinking, and skills in reflecting, evaluating and adapting. Student demonstrates an ability to develop and implement new cognitive strategies for improving digital health adoption to improve health service delivery needs. 

3

Justification of Inherent Requirement: 

• Understanding and ongoing learning about oneself, and one’s technical skills, is required in digital health to continue to advance digital health service delivery.

4

Adjustments must support authentic engagement and application of reflective learning.  They must include the capacity to evaluate feedback, adapt behaviour and develop insight into professional practice. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Campus Disability Advisor.

5

Exemplars:

• Review and reflect on personal responses and cultural paradigms around health service delivery needs.
• Develop safe and effective digital health strategies that have potential to improve health outcomes.

1

Individuals in digital health are responsible for fostering effective and inclusive relationships at all levels of healthcare and seek to understand the perspectives, priorities and needs of stakeholder disciplines / professions to enact true positive change. 

2

Student demonstrates:

• The capacity to effectively engage with a diverse population, in a manner that supports the digital health adoption and data standards to ensure improved service delivery and care. 

3

Justification of Inherent Requirement: 

• Individuals in digital health require high level skills in developing and maintaining interprofessional relationships. These relationships are crucial in the effectiveness and efficiency of collaborative work required to integrate and/or manage digital health systems. 

4

Adjustments must support the capacity to foster respectful, effective and inclusive relationships with others. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Campus Disability Advisor.

5

Exemplars:

• Participates with peers in an inclusive and supportive manner.
• Interaction in discussion forums demonstrates a respect for diversity and human dignity.

1

Adequate auditory ability is required to effectively share and collaborate on future digital health services, and to respond to emergent situations within a healthcare environment.

2

Student demonstrates:

• Sufficient auditory ability to effectively collaborate and/or lead digital health service delivery. 

3

Justification of Inherent Requirement: 

• Adequate auditory ability is required to be able to process and respond to emergent situations requiring timely and effective response.

4

Adjustments must enable timely processing and response to critical and/or emergent situations that frequently arise in a healthcare environment. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Campus Disability Advisor.

5

Exemplars:

• Participate in team / group discussions.
• Lead and manage a team when integrating digital health systems.

1

Digital health service delivery requires proficiency in the use of multiple, complex software and integration of systems.

2

Student demonstrates:

• The capacity to navigate a variety of information and communication technologies, and to refine current systems.

3

Justification of Inherent Requirement: 

• The ability to proficiently navigate multiple, complex information and communication technologies is critical to ensuring improved health care. 

4

Adjustments must support and not compromise the student’s opportunity to learn and demonstrate capacity in using a variety of information and communication technologies. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Campus Disability Advisor.

5

Exemplars:

• Participates in a variety of software for digital health service delivery through online / multi-modal learning.
• Demonstrates effectiveness in using digital health software and integrating systems. 

1

Working within digital health requires adequate physical and mental performance at a consistent and sustained level.

2

Student demonstrates:

• Consistent and regular engagement in online learning activities.

3

Justification of Inherent Requirement: 

• Sufficient physical and mental endurance is an essential requirement needed to perform multiple tasks in an assigned period to provide safe and effective care.

4

Adjustments must support consistent and sustained performance over a given period. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Campus Disability Advisor.

5

Exemplars:

• Participates in academic learning activities throughout the duration of the course and unit of study.