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Vol. 1 No. 2 (2024)

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September 24, 2026
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December 31, 2024

Copyright (c) 2024 Ayman Mohamed Ghazali Gad El-Karim, Mishari Mohammed Mohammed Al-Fawwa, Hanof Mohammed Ibrahim, Hamad Hadi Saeed Aldughman, Faisal Saud Sh. Al-Ruwaili, Abdulaziz Saleh Saad Al-Yahya, Mohammed Ayed Al-Rashidi, Ghallah Meatg Mazey Al-Rashidi, Saad Ghalib Al-Harbi

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

The Role of Digital Health Literacy in Modern Healthcare: Implications for Nurses, Radiologic Technologists, Pharmacists, Medical Secretaries, and Health Administrators

https://doi.org/10.64483/202412785
Ayman Mohamed Ghazali Gad El-Karim
Al-Wajh General Hospital, Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia
Mishari Mohammed Mohammed Al-Fawwa
Al-Wajh General Hospital, Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia
Hanof Mohammed Ibrahim
Jazan Health Cluster – Al-Habjiyah Primary Care Center, Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia
Hamad Hadi Saeed Aldughman
Eastern Province Health Cluster – Buqayq Hospital, Ministry of health, Saudi Arabia
Faisal Saud Sh. Al-Ruwaili
Suwayr General Hospital, Sakaka City – Al-Jouf, Al-Jouf Health Cluster, Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia
Abdulaziz Saleh Saad Al-Yahya
Al-Dawadmi General Hospital, Health Cluster 3, Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia
Mohammed Ayed Al-Rashidi
Khaybar General Hospital, Ministry of health, Saudi Arabia
Ghallah Meatg Mazey Al-Rashidi
Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia
Saad Ghalib Al-Harbi
King Khalid Hospital in Al-Kharj, Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia

Corresponding Author(s) : Ayman Mohamed Ghazali Gad El-Karim

mmkzo00013@gmail.com

Saudi Journal of Medicine and Public Health, Vol. 1 No. 2 (2024)

Abstract

Digital health literacy (DHL) has emerged as a foundational competency for the contemporary healthcare workforce as health systems worldwide undergo rapid digital transformation. This narrative review synthesizes contemporary evidence on the role of DHL across five key professional groups: nurses, radiologic technologists, pharmacists, medical secretaries, and health administrators. Drawing on literature published between 2016 and 2025, the review examines conceptualizations of DHL, its measured levels across professions, and its implications for clinical practice, patient safety, and organizational performance. Evidence indicates that DHL levels vary considerably across and within professions, with education, professional role, and organizational support serving as consistent predictors. The review identifies significant gaps in profession-specific DHL frameworks, standardized assessment tools, and targeted educational interventions. Interprofessional and organizational approaches to enhancing DHL are discussed, alongside recommendations for policy, education, and future research. The findings underscore that DHL is no longer optional but essential for all healthcare roles in the digital era.

Keywords

digital health literacy, healthcare workforce, nurses, interprofessional education, patient safety
El-Karim, A. M. G. G., Al-Fawwa, M. M. M., Ibrahim, H. M., Aldughman, H. H. S., Al-Ruwaili, F. S. S., Al-Yahya, A. S. S., … Al-Harbi, S. G. (2024). The Role of Digital Health Literacy in Modern Healthcare: Implications for Nurses, Radiologic Technologists, Pharmacists, Medical Secretaries, and Health Administrators. Saudi Journal of Medicine and Public Health, 1(2), 2607–2617. https://doi.org/10.64483/202412785
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