Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42404592›Full record

ReviewDigital health

Global trends of digital health technologies in patient navigation: A bibliometric and visual analysis from 2005 to 2024.

Wande Ma, Chen Lin, Aimei Mao

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Digital health. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Wande MaKiang Wu Nursing College of Macau, Macau, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0008-2838-7207
Chen LinKiang Wu Nursing College of Macau, Macau, China.
Aimei MaoKiang Wu Nursing College of Macau, Macau, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Objectives: To reveal the global development status of the application of digital health technologies (DHT) in patient navigation (PN) and delineate the main research hotspots and trends. Methods: We retrieved literature published between 2005 and 2024 from Scopus database and the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) and conducted the analysis using the Bibliometrix package in R software. Results: A total of 982 publications from Scopus database and 692 publications from WoSCC were analyzed, revealing an overall increasing trend. The United States leads in publication volume, followed by Canada, Australia, and China. The core focus is on cancer screening and detection, with ongoing emphasis on mental health, care coordination, and primary care, underscoring the importance of patient-centered services and multidisciplinary collaboration. In recent years, keywords such as "digital health" and "health equity" have become increasingly common, reflecting the accelerated translation of technological applications and a growing emphasis on narrowing health disparities. However, the persistent digital divide risks excluding the vulnerable populations most in need of PN services from these technological dividends. This highlights the necessity for further research in this domain. Conclusion: This study systematically analyzes the research trends of DHT in PN from 2005 to 2024, highlighting core research directions and proposing future research priorities. The results indicate that this field is continuously evolving, ultimately aiming to enhance healthcare accessibility, optimize system efficiency, and improve patient health outcomes.

Indexed as

bibliometricsdigital health technologieshealth equitypatient navigationresearch trendsvisual analysis

Identifiers

PMID42404592
PMCPMC13332297

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.