Sustainability in Healthcare: The Role of Digital Technologies for Improving Patient Engagement

Abstract

Sustainability in healthcare is getting considerable research attention as systems worldwide tend to balance environmental, social, and economic factors. In this context, digital technologies have demonstrated significant potential to enhance engagement among different consumer groups across various industries. Recognizing the importance of patient engagement and its impact on patient–doctor relationships for sustainable value creation in healthcare (i.e., when creating value for all stakeholders contributes to a sustainable society), this paper aims to investigate the extent to which a technological factor stimulates and fosters the engagement of patients in their own healthcare journey and how this favors long-term benefits' generation. With the aim to identify and map the available evidence, we conduct a scoping literature review. To disclose the current state of research in the studied field, we performed a literature search with the Scopus database. A total number of 76 studies published up to October 2023 were included in our literature review. By synthesizing the existing knowledge base and highlighting the role of digital technologies in fostering sustainable value creation in healthcare through improved patient engagement, this study addresses the identified research gap. As a result, this research provides three valuable contributions: (1) theoretically, this manuscript proposes a novel framework that advances the academic understanding of the potential of digital technologies to enhance patient engagement and support sustainability practices in healthcare; (2) practically, this study offers a comprehensive guidance to managers to enable effective adoption of technologies in clinical practice; (3) finally, this work suggests strategies to promote more inclusive and sustainable healthcare destined for all practitioners and policymakers.