Use of Gamified Digital Tools in Daily Tasks of Health Care Workers: Scoping Review.

Background: The quality and effectiveness of health care service delivery are significantly influenced by the engagement and motivation of health care workers. Integrating gamified digital tools (GDTs) into health care workers' workflows presents a promising approach to enhancing them. However, there is currently a lack of evidence supporting the implementation of such interventions. Objective: This scoping review aims to summarize existing evidence on the influence of GDTs on the daily tasks of health care workers. Methods: A scoping review was conducted following the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) guidelines for scoping reviews. We conducted a comprehensive search across different databases (PubMed, EMBASE, International Journal of Serious Games, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar) for peer-reviewed studies and (OpenAlex, GreyNet, and IEEE Xplore) for gray literature published between January 2010 and January 2024. Eligibility criteria, developed using the SPIDER (Sample, Phenomenon of Interest, Design, Evaluation, and Research) framework, included qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods studies involving health care workers using GDTs for daily tasks. Studies in English, French, Spanish, or Italian were eligible. Keywords and medical subject headings related to gamification and health care workers were used. The studies were screened, eligibility was assessed, and data were extracted. A narrative synthesis was used to summarize and interpret the findings. Results: Of 5844 studies, 12 met the inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis. These studies exhibited considerable heterogeneity in the application of gamification. Feedback, competition, and dashboard features were the most common gamification elements identified. The implementation of these elements led to enhanced engagement, increased motivation, improved task completion, and promoted healthy competition among staff across various health care settings. Conclusions: Integrating GDTs into health care workers' tasks holds significant potential to enhance engagement and motivation. However, empirical evidence is still lacking. Comparative studies are needed to gain comprehensive insights into the benefits and limitations of gamification in health care.