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Patient Safety in the Era of Virtual Care: A Review of the Challenges and Opportunities of Digital Health and Telenursing
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Azar Darvishpour *   , Fatemeh Mansouri |
| Department of Nursing, Zeyinab (P.B.U.H) School of Nursing and Midwifery, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran. & Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Trauma Institute, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran |
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Abstract: (33 Views) |
Introduction: Digital transformation in health systems has transformed the way nursing services are delivered, especially through telehealth and virtual health. Although new technologies have provided opportunities to improve the quality of care and increase access, concerns about patient safety in this context remain and require a comprehensive review. This study aimed to review the challenges and opportunities of patient safety in the context of digital health and telehealth.
Methods: This study is a systematic review study. Articles were searched in the international databases PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, and the Google Scholar search engine between January 2014 and April 2025. Inclusion criteria included full-text studies, published in English, and with keywords directly focusing on patient safety in the context of digital care and telehealth. Exclusion criteria included letters to the editor, abstracts, and presentations at conferences and seminars. Of the 170 retrieved articles, after final screening, 19 articles were included in the analysis. Data analysis was performed using a qualitative content analysis method
with a conventional approach.
Results: Data analysis led to the extraction of three main categories: (1) patient safety challenges (with four subcategories: limitations in clinical assessment and increased likelihood of diagnostic errors, technical disruptions and weak technological infrastructure, lack of specialized training and digital literacy in nurses and patients, threats to patient privacy and information security); (2) Opportunities to improve patient safety (with four subcategories: improving access to care in remote areas and vulnerable populations, improving continuous monitoring, early warning and rapid response, improving health education and patient participation in decisionmaking, reducing costs, optimizing resources, and increasing system effectiveness); and (3) Implementation needs and requirements for making digital care safe (with four subcategories: standardizing protocols, clinical guidelines, and safety mechanisms, structured nurse education and upgrading digital skills, human-centered design of digital health technologies, developing technical infrastructure, sustainable investment, and smart policymaking).
Conclusions: Digital health and telenursing have significant potential to improve patient safety, but this potential can only be realized if there is appropriate infrastructure, comprehensive policymaking, targeted education, and careful technological design. To achieve safe and sustainable care in the digital space, a systemic, humancentered, and evidence-based approach is essential.
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| Keywords: Patient safety, Caring, Digital health, Telenursing. |
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Full-Text [PDF 353 kb]
(12 Downloads)
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Type of Study: Applicable |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2025/06/17 | Accepted: 2025/07/8 | Published: 2025/09/24
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| * Corresponding Author Address: Department of Nursing, Zeyinab (P.B.U.H) School of Nursing and Midwifery, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran. |
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