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ECDL/ICDL Health
ECDL/ICDL Health is an end-user qualification for health informatics systems users, including doctors, nurses, other health professionals, and support staff using patient data systems. ECDL/ICDL Health addresses the growing recognition and dependence in all countries on the major role of health informatics systems in enabling national health systems to be increasingly effective, efficient, and evidence based. ECDL/ICDL Health consists of a competencies framework which defines the knowledge and skills that the candidate needs in order to operate a health information system safely. It recognizes the high importance of the education and empowerment of the end user, regardless of their level or profession.
ECDL / ICDL Health Syllabus was developed by an international expert group for ECDL Foundation and was validated simultaneously in three very different countries, Italy, the UK and the USA.
ECDL/ICDL Health recognizes that national requirements including patterns of practice, culture, language and legislative frameworks vary from country to country; therefore specifically local certifications have been created in association with health informatics experts in Italy, UK, USA and Finland. The certification tools that these countries have developed are likely to yield wider benefits and use by other countries wishing to follow suit.
ECDL/ICDL Health Background
As far back as 1990 the European Council of Ministers unanimously recommended that all staff involved with health IT systems should receive appropriate multidisciplinary training. Subsequently, over a decade ago, a European Commission Concerted Action entitled EDUCTRA identified the informatics educational needs of health professionals as being different from those of other IT Practitioners.
This work suggested a range of necessary learning outcomes for each group. Subsequently the International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA) addressed this topic, and produced recommendations of what should form the basis of health informatics education globally.
The first suggestion for an ECDL unit was made to the EuroRec health records conference in Seville in 1999. The idea was then developed informally, and tested by European and UK meetings sponsored by the English NHS. As a result, ECDL Foundation recognized that the development of a Health informatics certification would address this requirement and ensure sustainable and safe implementation of health informatics systems through education, assurance, and empowerment of end users. In 2005 an Expert Group was set up by ECDL Foundation which comprised of representatives of six European countries and of the United States of America. The resultant recommended syllabus was signed off by the Expert Group in early 2006.
The ECDL / ICDL Health certification is a global solution, linking common generic requirements with local need through approved local testing solutions. Having been developed by an international expert group and validated simultaneously in three very different countries, this product is now available for use in any nation.
