Mobile Applications for Patient Safety: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Objective: to map scientific production related to patient safety applications. Method: scoping review based on the method proposed by the JBI and the recommendations of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses for Scoping Reviews. The search took place between February and March 2022 in six databases, gray literature and intellectual property registration offices. The review was conducted by peers. Results: a total of 28 studies were analyzed. The international goals most often covered by the software were the prevention of medication errors, safe surgery and efficient communication. The applications used different operating systems and mostly described the process of content selection and software architecture. The evaluation system used usability scales, before and after tests and clinical trials. Conclusion: the construction of healthcare applications, especially those aimed at implementing patient safety targets, is a broad field to be explored. It is necessary to strengthen the quality of the information offered and the involvement of a multi-professional team in its development. There are gaps in the methodological designs and a lack of legislation regulating aspects related to the quality and veracity of the information provided by the software. Research protocol registered in the Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/8b9pz/)