Bibliometric and Visual Analysis in the Field of Telemedicine Application in Palliative Care From 2005 to 2024

Abstract

Background: Telemedicine applications in palliative care have increased significantly in recent years. Objectives: A bibliometric analysis was performed to highlight prevailing research hotspots and emerging trends and provide a reference to support future investigations in this field. Design: A bibliometric analysis was performed on literature retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection database. Methods: A total of 2635 publications on telemedicine applications in palliative care, published between 2005 and 2024, were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection. We employed Bibliometrix, VOSviewer, and CiteSpace to analyze these contributions quantitatively and visually in terms of countries, institutions, authors, journals, and keywords. Results: Annual publications increased from 13 (2005) to 336 (2024), with the United States dominating the field (41% output, H-index = 70). Harvard University and the University of California System were identified as core research institutions, and Bakitas, Marie A. and Dionne-Odom, James N. were identified as leading authors. Keyword clustering identified three research domains: cancer patients (home-based care), patient-centered themes (depression, anxiety, symptoms, burden, information, pain management, and quality of life) and technological applications (digital health and artificial intelligence, i.e., AI). Emerging areas of focus include chronic disease management and post-pandemic priorities (social media, mental health, digital integration, information, preference, and consultation). These results also suggest that telemedicine applications in the palliative care of chronic noncancer patients are very promising. Conclusions: Research on telemedicine in palliative care has undergone rapid growth and a paradigm shift from disease intervention to patient experience. Future studies should prioritize cross-regional collaboration and equitable access to care for noncancer populations, with anticipated hotspots transitioning toward chronic conditions and digitally enhanced psychosocial support. Clinical Relevance: Integrating telemedicine into palliative care is crucial for expanding access to specialized care, especially for homebound patients and those in underserved regions. This approach facilitates remote symptom monitoring, patient education, and timely consultations, which can directly improve symptom management, patient empowerment, and quality of life. Understanding the evolving research trends, as mapped in this study, helps clinicians and healthcare systems identify effective tele-palliative care models to implement in practice.