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. Nevertheless, 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 integration of digital platform ecosystems in healthcare. Findings 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. It emphasizes the urgency of addressing these challenges for a secure, interoperable, and patient-centric future in healthcare delivery. The article contributes to our understanding of digital health dynamics and may help guide the work of healthcare organizations, technology developers, and policymakers in ensuring data security, compliance and interoperability.INDEX TERMS Platform ecosystems, healthcare, applications, challenges