Overcoming challenges for improved patient-centric care: A scoping review of platform ecosystems in healthcare

Abstract

In recent studies, platform ecosystems, an extension of business ecosystems, have emerged as highly disruptive mechanisms for generating value within various industries. The transformative influence of digital technologies on conventional business landscapes is increasingly evident, facilitating inclusive and sustainable development. However, realizing value co-creation within digital platform ecosystems faces formidable hurdles in healthcare, primarily attributed to the complex challenges surrounding privacy, security, and effective data governance. Following the Joanna Briggs Institute Guidelines for scoping reviews, the study explores the extent literature on the integration of digital platform ecosystems in healthcare. The contribution of this article is to explore the applications of platform ecosystems in healthcare delivery, specifically focusing on electronic healthcare records, smartphones, artificial intelligence, big data, the Internet of Things, and blockchain technologies. The research identifies and discusses the challenges of implementing these technologies in the healthcare industry. Furthermore, the study proposes a healthcare platform ecosystem framework, integrating communication strategies, GDPR compliance, and architectural components. This study synthesizes the extant literature to formulate a theoretical healthcare ecosystem framework for improved patient-centric care. The review and resultant framework is intended to support understanding of digital health dynamics and guides healthcare organizations, technology developers, and policymakers in ensuring data security, compliance and interoperability.