Are we all singing from the same song sheet? Standardizing terminology used in inter-professional telehealth education and practice: a mixed method study
Abstract Background Telehealth interventions have proven essential in maintaining healthcare delivery during the global pandemic. However, its broader adoption within different healthcare settings has been impacted by inconsistent and non-standardized terminology, which poses challenges to global im...
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BMC
2025-05-01
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| Series: | BMC Medical Education |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-025-07207-6 |
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| author | Laila Rahmah Athaya Febriantyo Purnomo Maryam Alizadeh Soraya Shareef Askari Nurul Cholifah Lutfiana Mundakir Mundakir Muhammad Anas Sukadiono Sukadiono Lee Ingle Fuat Ince Gholamreza Hassanzadeh Ardalan Shariat |
| author_facet | Laila Rahmah Athaya Febriantyo Purnomo Maryam Alizadeh Soraya Shareef Askari Nurul Cholifah Lutfiana Mundakir Mundakir Muhammad Anas Sukadiono Sukadiono Lee Ingle Fuat Ince Gholamreza Hassanzadeh Ardalan Shariat |
| author_sort | Laila Rahmah |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Telehealth interventions have proven essential in maintaining healthcare delivery during the global pandemic. However, its broader adoption within different healthcare settings has been impacted by inconsistent and non-standardized terminology, which poses challenges to global implementation and stakeholder communication. This article addresses these barriers by analyzing telehealth-related terms and developing a detailed clinical guide to aid inter-professional health educators in adopting standardized terminology, improving clarity, and fostering collaboration. Methods A mixed-methods approach was used, comprising four phases. Phase 1 included weekly online journal club sessions (February to August 2024) focused on digital health topics, where relevant terms were discussed and extracted. Phase 2 involved detailed transcription analysis to identify telehealth-related terms based on their frequency of use and relevance to digital health. Phase 3 was a systematic literature review to contextualize and refine the identified terms. Phase 4 entailed expert validation, where five digital health professionals reviewed the proposed terminology and provided refinements. Additionally, terms were cross-referenced with the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) database to evaluate their existing definitions. Results A total of 314 telehealth terms were identified through discussions in the International Journal Club in Digital Health (IJC DH) and a literature review. Approximately 90.44% of these terms were sourced from 12 journal club sessions, covering topics such as Digital Health, Digital Psychiatry, Neurorehabilitation, and Robotic Surgery. The literature review contributed 30 unique terms, with further analysis revealing that 73% of the terms were not defined in the MeSH database. This finding underscores the evolving nature of telehealth and the need for terminology standardization. Expert reviews validated most proposed definitions, though specific terms required additional discussion. Conclusions The resulting standardized terminology guide enhances inter-professional collaboration in telehealth by providing clear and consistent definitions. This guide reduces miscommunication, facilitates interdisciplinary research and practice, and can be integrated into educational curricula to prepare future healthcare professionals for the complexities of digital health. By addressing terminology gaps, this study supports the advancement of telehealth education and improves patient care outcomes. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a376b08bdb4f4e538e34f243e0231369 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1472-6920 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Medical Education |
| spelling | doaj-art-a376b08bdb4f4e538e34f243e02313692025-08-20T03:09:20ZengBMCBMC Medical Education1472-69202025-05-0125111610.1186/s12909-025-07207-6Are we all singing from the same song sheet? Standardizing terminology used in inter-professional telehealth education and practice: a mixed method studyLaila Rahmah0Athaya Febriantyo Purnomo1Maryam Alizadeh2Soraya Shareef Askari3Nurul Cholifah Lutfiana4Mundakir Mundakir5Muhammad Anas6Sukadiono Sukadiono7Lee Ingle8Fuat Ince9Gholamreza Hassanzadeh10Ardalan Shariat11Department of Digital Health, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical SciencesDepartment of Oncology, University of OxfordDepartment of Medical Education, Medical School, Tehran University of Medical SciencesSchool of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical SciencesFaculty of Medicine, Universitas Muhammadiyah SurabayaFaculty of Health Sciences, Universitas Muhammadiyah SurabayaFaculty of Medicine, Universitas Muhammadiyah SurabayaFaculty of Medicine, Universitas Muhammadiyah SurabayaSchool of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of HullDepartment of History of Medicine and Ethics, Faculty of Medicine, Süleyman Demirel UniversityDepartment of Digital Health, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical SciencesDepartment of Digital Health, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical SciencesAbstract Background Telehealth interventions have proven essential in maintaining healthcare delivery during the global pandemic. However, its broader adoption within different healthcare settings has been impacted by inconsistent and non-standardized terminology, which poses challenges to global implementation and stakeholder communication. This article addresses these barriers by analyzing telehealth-related terms and developing a detailed clinical guide to aid inter-professional health educators in adopting standardized terminology, improving clarity, and fostering collaboration. Methods A mixed-methods approach was used, comprising four phases. Phase 1 included weekly online journal club sessions (February to August 2024) focused on digital health topics, where relevant terms were discussed and extracted. Phase 2 involved detailed transcription analysis to identify telehealth-related terms based on their frequency of use and relevance to digital health. Phase 3 was a systematic literature review to contextualize and refine the identified terms. Phase 4 entailed expert validation, where five digital health professionals reviewed the proposed terminology and provided refinements. Additionally, terms were cross-referenced with the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) database to evaluate their existing definitions. Results A total of 314 telehealth terms were identified through discussions in the International Journal Club in Digital Health (IJC DH) and a literature review. Approximately 90.44% of these terms were sourced from 12 journal club sessions, covering topics such as Digital Health, Digital Psychiatry, Neurorehabilitation, and Robotic Surgery. The literature review contributed 30 unique terms, with further analysis revealing that 73% of the terms were not defined in the MeSH database. This finding underscores the evolving nature of telehealth and the need for terminology standardization. Expert reviews validated most proposed definitions, though specific terms required additional discussion. Conclusions The resulting standardized terminology guide enhances inter-professional collaboration in telehealth by providing clear and consistent definitions. This guide reduces miscommunication, facilitates interdisciplinary research and practice, and can be integrated into educational curricula to prepare future healthcare professionals for the complexities of digital health. By addressing terminology gaps, this study supports the advancement of telehealth education and improves patient care outcomes.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-025-07207-6DefinitionDigital healthInter-professional collaborationMedical educationMedical practiceTelemedicine |
| spellingShingle | Laila Rahmah Athaya Febriantyo Purnomo Maryam Alizadeh Soraya Shareef Askari Nurul Cholifah Lutfiana Mundakir Mundakir Muhammad Anas Sukadiono Sukadiono Lee Ingle Fuat Ince Gholamreza Hassanzadeh Ardalan Shariat Are we all singing from the same song sheet? Standardizing terminology used in inter-professional telehealth education and practice: a mixed method study BMC Medical Education Definition Digital health Inter-professional collaboration Medical education Medical practice Telemedicine |
| title | Are we all singing from the same song sheet? Standardizing terminology used in inter-professional telehealth education and practice: a mixed method study |
| title_full | Are we all singing from the same song sheet? Standardizing terminology used in inter-professional telehealth education and practice: a mixed method study |
| title_fullStr | Are we all singing from the same song sheet? Standardizing terminology used in inter-professional telehealth education and practice: a mixed method study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Are we all singing from the same song sheet? Standardizing terminology used in inter-professional telehealth education and practice: a mixed method study |
| title_short | Are we all singing from the same song sheet? Standardizing terminology used in inter-professional telehealth education and practice: a mixed method study |
| title_sort | are we all singing from the same song sheet standardizing terminology used in inter professional telehealth education and practice a mixed method study |
| topic | Definition Digital health Inter-professional collaboration Medical education Medical practice Telemedicine |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-025-07207-6 |
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