Observational studyInternational journal for quality in health care : journal of the International Society for Quality in Health Care2026
Patient engagement and feasibility of a QR code-based digital information tool in the emergency department.
Observational study in International journal for quality in health care : journal of the International Society for Quality in Health Care, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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.
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.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPatients frequently seek guidance on non-urgent administrative and informational needs, such as sick notes, finding a family physician, and pharmacy access, during emergency department (ED) visits. Limited primary care availability contributes to these inquiries and may increase communication demands on clinical staff. This project aimed to assess the feasibility and patient engagement of a low-cost digital intervention using quick response (QR) codes.
methodsWe conducted a prospective observational quality improvement study from June to December 2025 in a community ED. Twenty informational posters, containing four scannable QR codes, were placed in high-visibility public areas. Each QR code linked to a mobile-friendly resource: a virtual sick note, a tool to find a family doctor, directions to the nearest 24-hour pharmacy, and directions to the nearest pharmacy. Automated scan analytics were used to assess patient engagement and feasibility, defined by sustained use over time and absence of technical or workflow disruptions.
resultsDuring the 6-month study period, the four QR codes were scanned 1,895 times. The virtual sick note (43.2%) and find a family doctor tool (30.3%) were the most frequently accessed resources, followed by the 24-hour pharmacy (20.4%) and local pharmacy (6.1%). Scan activity occurred daily throughout the study period, with no reported technical issues or disruptions to clinical workflow.
conclusionQR code-based informational posters demonstrated consistent patient engagement and addressed common non-urgent informational needs without increasing staff workload. This low-cost, easily scalable digital tool was feasible to implement within routine ED operations and may support future patient-directed digital self-service initiatives.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.