Charting the course: a scoping review on telehealth research trends in Australia

Abstract

This review of telehealth research describes the landscape of Australian digital health and telehealth research from 1999 to 2022, focusing on outlining past, present and future trends. A scoping review was conducted using the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and PRISMA extension for scoping reviews framework, which identified 495 primary research studies of digital or telehealth interventions aimed at improving health outcomes. Data were charted according to technological modality, health focus, professional representation, participant location, year and size. Findings demonstrated are as follows: increase in the volume and rate of publications over time; over-representation of participants from Australia's east coast; key focus areas of mental health and primary care; live video conferencing as the dominant emerging technology modality; and audio-only interventions remain highly relevant. Despite increasing interest in digital and telehealth interventions, the rural and remote populations that stand to benefit the greatest are under-represented in the literature. Future research should focus on these groups, using both emerging and established technologies, and digital and telehealth interventions should be adopted by a wider breadth of health professions.