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Keeping pace with the healthcare transformation: a literature review and research agenda for a new decade of health information systems research

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• Published: 17 July 2021
• Volume 31 , pages 901–921, ( 2021 )

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• Nadine Ostern   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-3867-3385 1 ,
• Guido Perscheid 2 ,
• Caroline Reelitz 2 &
• Jürgen Moormann 2  

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A Correction to this article was published on 20 December 2021

This article has been updated

Accelerated by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, major and lasting changes are occuring in healthcare structures, impacting people's experiences and value creation in all aspects of their lives. Information systems (IS) research can support analysing and anticipating resulting effects.

The purpose of this study is to examine in what areas health information systems (HIS) researchers can assess changes in healthcare structures and, thus, be prepared to shape future developments.

A hermeneutic framework is applied to conduct a literature review and to identify the contributions that IS research makes in analysing and advancing the healthcare industry.

We draw an complexity theory by borrowing the concept of 'zooming-in and out', which provides us with a overview of the current, broad body of research in the HIS field. As a result of analysing almost 500 papers, we discovered various shortcomings of current HIS research.

Contribution

We derive future pathways and develop a research agenda that realigns IS research with the transformation of the healthcare industry already under way.

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Research Methodology: An Introduction

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Introduction

Particularly since the last decade, IT has opened up new opportunities for ‘ehealth’ through telemedicine and remote patient monitoring, alongside potential improvements in the cost-effectiveness and accessibility of health care (Chiasson & Davidson, 2004 ). Accordingly, health information systems (HIS) research has come to focus on how healthcare organizations invest in and then assimilate HIS, looking in particular at the impact of digitalization on healthcare costs, healthcare quality, and patient privacy (Chen et al., 2019 ; Park, 2016 ).

Less attention has been paid to issues such as mobile health, health information interchange, digital health communities, and services that change customer expectations and may lead to major disruptions (Chen et al., 2019 ; Park, 2016 ). These topics, however, are becoming increasingly important due to the penetration of the user and health market by external players, especially tech companies, providing services such as fitness trackers, and surveillance software for patient monitoring in hospitals (Gantori et al., 2020 ). Modern IT, thus, becomes a catalyst to provide greater operational efficiency, offering new possibilities for tech companies to build new health-centred business models and services (Park, 2016 ).

The ways in which tech companies are entering the healthcare industry can be seen amid the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), which is pushing healthcare systems to the edge of their capacities (Worldbank, 2020 ). In this extraordinary condition, the pandemic has provided an additional opportunity for tech companies that were hitherto not active or not allowed to enter the healthcare industry (Gantori et al., 2020 ).

We are currently seeing how entering the healthcare market is actually taking place, particularly in the USA, where tech companies are increasingly offering services to help address some of the problems associated with Covid-19. Google’s subsidiary Verily, for instance, facilitates the automation of coronavirus symptom screening and provides actionable, up-to-date information that supports community-based decision-making (Landi, 2020 ). Although the collaboration with Verily assists the US government in tracking cases to identify the spread of the virus, it is reasonable to suggest that Verily probably did not launch the screening tool out of altruism. In fact, to receive preliminary screening results via the Verily app, citizens have to log into their personal Google account (Greenwood, 2020 ). This allows Verily to gain immense value by aggregating huge, structured data sets and analyse them to come up with new health services, such as better tools for disease detection, new data infrastructures, and insurance offerings that – for better or for worse – may outplay current healthcare providers and even disrupt whole healthcare ecosystems (CB Insights, 2018 ). Similarly, Amazon has started to provide cloud space through Amazon Web Services to store health surveillance data for the Australian government’s tracing app (Tillett, 2020 ), and Amazon Care, a division initially responsible for handling internal staff care needs, now cooperates with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to distribute Covid-19 testing kits to US residents (Lee & Nilsson, 2020 ).

Looking at information systems (IS) researchers’ previous assessments of state-of-the-art healthcare-related IS literature reveals that most scholars seem to have little or no concern for the beginning of those potentially long-lasting changes that are occurring in the healthcare industry (Chen et al., 2019 ). This is worrying, considering that it is already apparent that the years ahead will be marked by economic volatility and social upheaval as well as direct and indirect health consequences, including sweeping transformations in many of the world’s healthcare systems.

While it is clear that recent developments and the push of tech and platform companies into the healthcare sector can significantly improve the quality of life for billions of people around the world, it will be accompanied by serious challenges for healthcare industries, governments, and individuals (Park, 2016 ). Technological advances are, for instance, giving rise to a plethora of smart, connected products and services, combining sensors, software, data, analytics, and connectivity in all kinds of ways, which in turns leads to a restructuring of health industry boundaries and the empowerment of novel actors, especially tech and platform companies such as IBM, Google, and Amazon (Park, 2016 ).

Observing those changes, we need to develop a general understanding of long-term trends such as digitalization and blurring industry boundaries. As the pandemic is only an amplifier of longer-lasting trends, it is likely that the consequences and exogenous effects on the healthcare industry will go far beyond the time of the current pandemic. Given these observations, we wonder whether the IS research domain is ready to capture, understand, and accompany these developments, which require a holistic view of the healthcare industry, its structures, and the interdependencies between incumbents and new entrants. Thus, we argue that it is now time to develop a more comprehensive understanding of these developments and to determine the role that IS research can play by asking: How can we prepare HIS research to capture and anticipate current developments in the healthcare industry?

To find answers to this question, our paper provides a literature overview of HIS research by ‘zooming in and zooming out’ (Gaskin et al., 2014 ) and by drawing on complexity theory (Benbya et al., 2020 ). Since a healthcare system, like the industry as a whole, can be understood as a complex, digital socio-technical system (Kernick & Mitchell, 2009 ; Therrien et al., 2017 ), zooming in and zooming out is a way to view, capture, and theorize the causes, dynamics, and consequences of a system’s complexity. Complex systems are characterized by adaptiveness, openness (Cilliers, 2001 ), and the diversity of actors and their mutual dependency in the system, meaning that outcomes and research span various levels within these systems, although the boundaries of socio-technical systems are elusive. Assuming that HIS research is just as complex as the socio-technical system investigated, we first zoom in, focusing on concrete research outcomes across levels (i.e., what we can actually observe). Zooming in is followed by zooming out, which means abstracting from the concrete level and embracing the strengths and disparities of overall HIS research on a higher level in which concrete research outcomes are embedded (Benbya et al., 2020 ). Using this approach, we can capture and understand the complexity of HIS research without losing sight of concrete research issues and topics that drive research in this field.

To do this, we chose a hermeneutic framework to guide us in a thorough review and interpretation of HIS literature and lead us to the following overarching observations: (i) The literature review determines the unique contribution that IS research plays in analysing and advancing the healthcare industry. However, it also shows that we are hardly prepared to take up current developments and anticipate their consequences. (ii) The reason for this unpreparedness is that we currently neglect the ecosystem perspective and thus ignore holistic approaches to resolve the striking number of interrelated issues in HIS research. (iii) Based on the unique insights of this literature review, our paper provides a research agenda in which we use complexity theory to discuss the consequences of current developments. This theory assists IS researchers not only to better understand developments and implications thereof for the healthcare industry (and thus HIS research) but also to create a meaningful impact on the future of this industry. Since we have limited our research explicitly to the IS domain, our results may not be generally applicable to other healthcare research domains and we do not claim to provide an overview of the literature in the field of HIS research. However, while IS researchers cannot solve the pandemic directly, preparing them by providing a new research agenda will support them in developing concepts and applications, thereby helping them to overcome the negative effects of the pandemic. In our opinion, it is particularly important that IS research, and especially HIS-related research, obtains a deeper understanding of the needed transformation that is caused by digitalization and the emergence of new players catalysed by the current pandemic.

The remainder of this paper is structured as follows. The next section is concerned with the hermeneutic framework used to conduct the systematic literature review. After explaining the hermeneutic approach and the research steps, we elaborate on the key findings by zooming in; that is, we focus on the key results that emerge from analysing and interpreting the literature for each of the phases defined in the course of the literature sorting process. We then concentrate on zooming out, emphasizing the patterns and interdependencies across phases, which helps us determine the state of HIS research. The results of both parts of the literature review – i.e., zooming in and zooming out (Benbya et al., 2020 ; Gaskin et al., 2014 ) – support us in identifying strengths, as well as drawbacks, in HIS research. On this basis, we develop a research agenda that provides future directions for how HIS research can evolve to anticipate the impending transformation of the healthcare industry.

Literature review: a hermeneutic approach

To answer our research question, we conducted a literature review based on hermeneutic understanding. In particular, we followed Boell and Cecez-Kecmanovic ( 2014 ). They proposed a hermeneutic philosophy as a theoretical foundation and methodological approach that focuses on the inherently interpretive processes in which a reader engages in an ever-expanding and deepening understanding of a relevant body of literature. Adopting a comprehensive literature review approach that addresses well-known issues resulting from applying structured literature review approaches (e.g., Webster & Watson, 2002 ), we strive toward the dual purpose of hermeneutic analysis – i.e., to synthesize and critically assess the body of knowledge (Boell & Cecez-Kecmanovic, 2014 ). We would like to emphasize that the hermeneutic approach to literature reviews is not in opposition to structured approaches. Rather, it addresses the weaknesses of structured approaches (i.e., that they view engagement with the literature as a routine task rather than as a process of intellectual development) and complements them with the hermeneutic perspective to create a holistic approach for conducting literature reviews.

Theoretical underpinning and research method

A methodological means for engaging in reciprocal interpretation of a whole and its constituent elements is the hermeneutic cycle (Bleicher, 2017 ), which consists of a mutually intertwined search and acquisition circle (Circle 1 in Fig.  1 ) and the wider analysis and interpretation circle (Circle 2 in Fig.  1 ) (Boell & Cecez-Kecmanovic, 2014 ). Figure  1 depicts the steps associated with the hermeneutic literature review. The search and acquisition circle is shown on the left of the figure, while the analysis and interpretation circle containing steps of meta and content analysis is depicted on the right. The two circles should be understood as an iterative procedure, the nature of which will be explained in the following. 

Hermeneutic procedure applied to the literature review

Circle 1: Search and acquisition

The hermeneutic literature review starts with the search and acquisition circle, which is aimed at finding, acquiring, and sorting relevant publications. In line with holistic thinking, we began with the identification of a rather small set of highly relevant literature (Boell & Cecez-Kecmanovic, 2014 ) and went on to identify further literature on the basis of progressively emerging keywords. This step is central to the hermeneutic approach and addresses a criticism on structured literature reviews, namely that they downplay the importance of reading and dialogical interaction between the literature and the reader in the literature search process, reducing it to a formalistic search, stifling academic curiosity, and threatening quality and critique in scholarship and research (Boell & Cecez-Kecmanovic, 2014 ; MacLure, 2005 ). Thus, while the search process remains formalized, as in pure structured approaches, the hermeneutic approach allows us to acquire more information about the problem at hand and to identify more relevant sources of information (Boell & Cecez-Kecmanovic, 2014 ).

Given our initial research question and the scope of the review, we began by searching for papers in the Association for Information System’s (AIS’s) eLibrary over a period of 30 years (1990 to 2019). We consider this database to be a source of the most significant publications in the field of HIS research with a focus on the IS research domain. Using the keywords ‘digital health’ and ‘digital healthcare service’, we identified an initial set of 54 papers based on the title, abstract, and keyword search. Engaging in a first round of the hermeneutic search and acquisition circle, we extended and refined these keywords by identifying emerging topics within the literature, as well as using backward and forward search (Webster & Watson, 2002 ). In particular, with each additional paper identified through backward and forward search, we compared keyword references in the papers to our list of keywords and added them if there was sufficient content delimitation. The decision to add a keyword was discussed with all authors until consensus was reached. This led us to a set of 12 keywords, including ‘electronic health’, ‘ehealth’, ‘mobile health’, ‘mhealth’, ‘health apps’, ‘tech health’, ‘healthcare services’, ‘healthcare informatics’, ‘medical informatics’, and ‘health data’.

The selection of publications being considered for our research comprised all journals belonging to the AIS eLibrary, the Senior Scholars’ Basket of Eight Journals (e.g., European Journal of Information Systems, Information Systems Research , and MIS Quarterly ), well-regarded journals following the analyses of Chiasson and Davidson ( 2004 ) and Chen et al. ( 2019 ) (e.g., Business & Information Systems Engineering , Communications of the ACM, and Decision Support Systems ), and the proceedings of the major AIS conferences (e.g., Americas Conference on Information Systems (AMCIS), International Conference on Information Systems (ICIS)). An overview of the selected journals and proceedings is provided in Appendix 1 .

Using our set of keywords, we searched for each keyword individually in the AIS eLibrary and the databases of the respective journals. Subsequently, we created a dataset and filtered out the duplicates, yielding a total number of 1,789 papers to be screened in the search and acquisition circle (Circle 1 in Fig.  1 ). Figure  2 provides an overview of this process by listing the total number of articles identified for each journal individually.

Steps of the search process to create the data set

The resulting 1,789 papers progressively passed through the intertwined hermeneutic circles. Because of the large number, we divided the papers at random into four equally sized groups and assigned them to each of the authors. Each author then screened the paper in his or her group. In the course of several rounds of discussion, decisions on the inclusion of keywords and articles in the literature review were made by all authors, based on the original recommendations of the author responsible for the respective group. To ensure rigor and transparency of the analysis and results, we kept a logbook in which all decisions of the authors and steps of the literature review were recorded (Humphrey, 2011 ).

Given the abundance of topics that were already apparent from titles and abstracts, we began to sort the publications (Boell & Cecez-Kecmanovic, 2014 ). The process of sorting proved to be challenging, as HIS research is diverse and tends to be eclectic (Agarwal et al., 2010 ). This is why researchers have developed frameworks for clustering and analysing HIS research (LeRouge et al., 2007 ). So far, however, no consent on a unified framework has emerged, and sorting is often strongly influenced by the authors’ views on HIS research (Agarwal et al., 2010 ; Fichman et al., 2011 ). For instance, Agarwal et al. ( 2010 ) predetermined health IT adoption and health IT impact as major themes associated with health ITs, acknowledging that this pre-categorization of research topics made a systematic review of the growing and increasingly complex HIS literature unfeasible. Consequently, we decided to sort the articles we had identified into groups inspired by and loosely related to the phases of design science research (DSR) (Peffers et al., 2008 ), which is an essential step in hermeneutics – i.e., defining guidelines to facilitate interpretive explication (Cole & Avison, 2007 ). DSR can be understood as a cumulative endeavour and, therefore, we understood HIS research as accumulative knowledge that can be reconstructed and consolidated using DSR phases as guidance (vom Brocke et al., 2015 ; vom Brocke et al., 2009 ). In particular, this helped us to sort the articles without prejudice to expected HIS research topics and clusters (Grondin, 2016 ).

In the past, researchers have used the DSR process in the context of literature reviews to identify advances in design science-related research outcomes (Offermann et al., 2010 ). In this paper, we use the DSR phases – in the sense of a rough guideline – as a neutral lens to classify articles according to their research outcomes. We thereby assume that HIS literature can be seen as an overall process, where research results and progress are built upon each other and can be classified into phases of problem identification and research issues , definition of research objectives and possible solution space , design and development of solutions , demonstration of research effectiveness, innovativeness and acceptance , and evaluation . These phases served as a guide to achieve an outcome-oriented, first-hand sorting of articles, while this approach also gave us the opportunity to take a bird's-eye view on HIS research. Note that we intentionally omitted the last step of DSR – i.e., communication – as we regard communication as present in all published articles. Based on our initial reading, we assigned all 1,789 papers to the phases and discussed this sorting in multiple rounds until all authors agreed on the assignments.

Simultaneously, we applied criteria for the inclusion and exclusion of articles. We included full papers published in the journals and conference proceedings belonging to our selection. We excluded articles that were abstract-only papers, research-in-progress papers, panel formats, or workshop formats, as well as papers without direct thematic reference to our research objective. Additionally, during the acquisition stage we stored selected papers in a separate database whenever they fulfilled certain quality criteria (e.g., for separate studies using the same dataset, such as a conference publication and a subsequent journal publication, we only used the articles with the most comprehensive reporting of data to avoid over-representation).

The authors read the resulting 489 papers to identify new core terms and keywords that were used in subsequent searches, which not only provided the link to the analysis and interpretation circle but also informed the literature search. For this purpose, each author read the papers and kept notes in the logbook that supported us in systematically recording the review process and allowed us to shift from concentrating on particular papers to focusing on scientific concepts (Boell & Cecez-Kecmanovic, 2014 ; Webster & Watson, 2002 ).

Circle 2: Analysis and interpretation

The search and acquisition circle formed part of the iterative procedure of analysis and interpretation, whereby the reading of individual papers was the key activity linking Circle 1 to the steps of Circle 2 (Boell & Cecez-Kecmanovic, 2014 ). Through orientational reading we gained a general understanding of the literature, thus laying the foundation for the subsequent steps of analysis and interpretation (Boell & Cecez-Kecmanovic, 2014 ).

Within the analysis and interpretation circle, two types of reviews were conducted for all identified and sorted articles: in a first round a meta-review, and in a second round a content analysis of the papers was performed. Meta-reviews are a useful tool for capturing and analysing massive quantities of knowledge using systematic measures and metrics. We followed Palvia et al. ( 2015 ), who proposed a structured method that is integrated into the hermeneutic approach. In particular, having identified and sorted the relevant research articles, we applied proposed review features, including methodological approach, level of observation, sample size, and research focus (Humphrey, 2011 ; Palvia et al., 2015 ) to map, classify, and analyse the publications (Boell & Cecez-Kecmanovic, 2014 ). In doing so, we slightly adapted the classic meta-analysis by focusing on meta-synthesis, which is similar to meta-analysis but follows an interpretive rather than a deductive approach. Whereas a classic meta-analysis tries to increase certainty in cause-and-effect conclusions, meta-synthesis seeks to understand and explain the phenomena of mainly qualitative work (Walsh & Downe, 2005 ). The results of the meta-synthesis provided the basis for our subsequent critical assessment of content. Furthermore, we created a classification matrix based on particularly salient features of the meta-review (i.e., levels of observation and research foci), which facilitated and standardized the content analysis.

Within the matrix, the levels of observation comprised infrastructure (e.g., information exchange systems, electronic health records), individuals (patients and users of digital health services), professionals (e.g., nurses and general practitioners), organizations (hospitals and other medical institutions), and an ecosystem level. The latter is defined as individuals, professionals, organizations, and other stakeholders integrated via a digital infrastructure and aiming to create a digital environment for networked services and organizations with common resources and expectations (Leon et al., 2016 ). To identify the most important concepts used by researchers, we discussed a variety of approaches to the derivation of research foci – i.e., areas containing related or similar concepts that are frequently used in research on HIS. Finally, six research focus areas emerged, covering all relevant research areas. To describe the core HIS research issues addressed by these foci, we used the following questions:

HIS strategy: What are the prerequisites for configuring, implementing, using, maintaining, and finding value in HISs?

HIS creation: How are HISs composed or developed?

HIS implementation: How are HISs implemented and integrated?

HIS use and maintenance: How can HISs be used and maintained once in place?

Consequences and value of HIS: What are the consequences and the added value of HISs?

HIS theorization: What is the intellectual contribution of HIS research?

We used the classification matrix as a tool for assigning publications and finding patterns across research articles and phases. In particular, we used open, axial, and selective coding (Corbin & Strauss, 1990 ) to analyse the content of articles in a second round of the analysis and interpretation circle. Each author individually assigned open codes to text passages while reading the identified research articles, noting their thoughts in the shared digital logbook that was used for constant comparative analysis. Once all authors had agreed on the open codes, axial coding – which is the process of relating the categories and subcategories (including their properties) to each other (Wolfswinkel et al., 2013 ) – was conducted by each author and then discussed until consent on codes was reached. Next, we conducted selective coding and discussed the codes until theoretical saturation was achieved (Corbin & Strauss, 1990 ; Matavire & Brown, 2008 ). For the sake of consistent terminology, we borrowed terms from Chen et al. ( 2019 ), who used multimethod data analysis to investigate the intellectual structure of HIS research. In particular, they proposed 22 major research themes, which we assigned to the initial codes whenever possible. In two rounds of discussion in which we compared the assignment of codes, two additional codes emerged, which left us with a total of 24 theme labels (Appendix 2 ). By discussing the codes at all stages of coding, theoretical saturation emerged, which is the stage at which no additional data are being found or properties of selective codes can be developed (Glaser & Straus, 1968 ; Saunders et al., 2018 ). In fact, independent from each other, all authors saw similar instances occurring over and over again, resulting in the same codes, making us confident that we had reached theoretical saturation (Saunders et al., 2018 ).

Finally, we entered the codes into the classification matrix, which allowed us to identify patterns based on the meta and content analysis. This enabled us to provide insights into the strengths and weaknesses of current HIS research; these are presented in the following section.

Zooming-in: key findings of the phase-based literature analysis

In the following, we ‘zoom in’ (Gaskin et al., 2014 ) by presenting key findings of the literature review for each phase, illustrated by means of the classification matrices. We assigned selective codes that emerged from the content analysis to the fields of the matrices, with the numbers in brackets indicating the frequency with which codes emerged. Note that, for the sake of clarity, we displayed only the most relevant research themes in the matrices and indicated the number of further papers using the reference ‘other themes.’ A complete list of research themes for each phase can be found in the appendix (Appendix 2 ). In the following, each table shows the classification matrix and selective codes that resulted from the meta and content analysis of papers in the respective phase. The shaded areas in the matrix show focused research themes (i.e., selective codes) and characteristics of research articles that gave way to clusters (i.e., collections of themes that appear frequently and/or characteristically for the respective focus).

Phase 1: Problem identification and research issues

Within the first phase, a large body of literature was found (218 articles). This phase encompasses articles that identify problems and novel research issues as a main outcome, with the aim of pointing out shortcomings and provoking further research. For instance, besides behavioural issues such as missing user acceptances or trust in certain HISs, the design and effectiveness of national health programs and/or HIS is a frequently mentioned topic. It should be noted, however, that literature assigned to this phase is extremely diverse in terms of research foci, levels of observation, and research themes, and hardly any gaps can be identified (Table 1 ).

The first cluster (1a) encompasses the research focus of HIS strategy, spanning all levels of observation and totalling 24 publications. HIS strategy appears to be of particular relevance to the levels of organization and infrastructure. Content-wise, the theme of health information interchange is of particular interest, referring, for example, to the development of a common data infrastructure (Ure et al., 2009 ), consumer-oriented health websites (Fisher et al., 2007 ), and security risks of inter-organizational data sharing (Zhang & Pang, 2019 ). HIS productivity and HIS security are the second most salient themes, focusing, for example, on measuring the effectiveness of fitness apps (Babar et al., 2018 ) and presenting challenges with regard to the interoperability of medical devices (Sametinger et al., 2015 ).

The second cluster (1b), comprising 25 publications, represents the ecosystem level and focuses mainly on national and cross-national HIS-related issues such as the relation between ICT penetration and access to ehealth technologies across the European Union (Currie & Seddon, 2014 ), as well as on the collaboration and involvement of different stakeholders (Chang et al., 2009 ; King, 2009 ). Most important here is health information interchange – e.g., the provision, sharing, and transfer of information (Bhandari & Maheshwari, 2009 ; Blinn & Kühne, 2013 ).

Cluster 1c covers the research focus of HIS use and maintenance, as well as the consequences of HIS. Whereas most papers addressing the HIS acceptance theme focus on professionals’ or patients’ acceptance of specific technological solutions, such as telemedicine (Djamsbi et al., 2009 ) or electronic health records (Gabel et al., 2019 ), papers assigned to health information interchange focus on topics related to information disclosure, such as self-tracking applications (Gimpel et al., 2013 ). Finally, the HIS outsourcing and performance theme concentrates on financial aspects in organizations, including potential for quality improvements and cost reductions (Setia et al., 2011 ; Singh et al., 2011 ).

Finally, the fourth cluster (1d) focuses on HIS theorizing with respect to the individual and infrastructure levels of observation. Although this cluster represents a range of theme labels (15), those addressing HIS acceptance, HIS patient-centred care, as well as health analytics and data mining predominate. Papers within the theme label HIS acceptance cover a wide range of topics, such as the acceptance of telehealth (Tsai et al., 2019 ) up to the usage intentions of gamified systems (Hamari & Koivisto, 2015 ). The same applies to the papers assigned to the theme labels of health analytics and data mining. Focusing on the infrastructure level of observation, the identified papers mostly review academic research on data mining in healthcare in general (Werts & Adya, 2000 ), through to the review of articles on the usage of data mining with regard to diabetes self-management (Idrissi et al., 2019 ). Papers on HIS patient-centred care mostly address the challenges and opportunities of patient-centred ehealth applications (Sherer, 2014 ).

Apart from these clusters, quite a few research articles refer to the infrastructure level of observation, addressing information sharing in general (Li et al., 2008 ), electronic medical records (George & Kohnke, 2018 ; Wessel et al., 2017 ), and security and privacy issues (Zafar & Sneha, 2012 ).

Most common in terms of research methods within this phase are case studies (57), followed by quantitative data analyses (50), theoretical discussions (29), and literature studies (14). In particular, case studies dominate when referring to the ecosystem or infrastructure level of observation, whereas quantitative analyses are conducted when individuals or professionals are at the centre of the discussion. However, and unsurprisingly given the considerable diversity of research themes within this phase, the variety of research methods is also quite large, ranging from field studies (Paul & McDaniel, 2004 ), to interviews (Knight et al., 2008 ), to multimethod research designs (Motamarri et al., 2014 ).

Phase 2: Definition of research objectives and solution space

The second phase of HIS research yielded a lower number of articles (45) compared to the phase of problem identification and research issues. The second phase comprises articles that focus on proposing possible solutions to existing problems – i.e., introducing theory-driven, conceptual designs of health ecosystems including health information interchange, as well as scenario analyses anticipating the consequences of HIS implementation on an organizational level. Based on the research foci and levels of observation, we identified three specific thematic clusters, as shown in Table 2 .

The first cluster (2a) comprises the ecosystem level of observation and encompasses eight publications. Besides a strong tendency toward theory-driven research, health information interchange is the most common theme. We found that the need to enable cooperation within networks and to ensure accurate data input was addressed in most of the literature. While a majority of studies focus on the application of HIS in networks within specific boundaries, such as medical emergency coordination (Sujanto et al., 2008 ) or Singapore’s crisis management in the fight against the SARS outbreak in 2003 (Devadoss & Pan, 2004 ), other studies, such as that by Aanestad et al. ( 2019 ), take an overarching perspective, addressing the need to break down silo thinking and to start working in networks. Following the question of why action research fails to persist over time, Braa et al. ( 2004 ) highlighted the role of network alignment, criticizing action research projects for failing to move beyond the prototyping phase and, therefore, failing to have any real impact.

Cluster 2b, encompassing nine publications, was derived from the observation that studies within the organizational level concentrated strongly on HIS use and maintenance and the consequences of HIS research. Herein, a vast array of topics was observed, such as the potential for cost reduction through HIS (Byrd & Byrd, 2009 ), the impact of HIS on product and process innovation in European hospitals (Arvanitis & Loukis, 2014 ), and the perceived effectiveness of security risk management in healthcare (Zafar et al., 2012 ). Moreover, we found that practice-oriented methods, such as mixed-method approaches, surveys, data analyses, and case studies, are used predominantly within this cluster. Focusing on the latter, most studies analyse particular scenarios by using a rather small sample of cases, for instance, Al-Qirim ( 2003 ) analysed factors influencing telemedicine success in psychiatry and dermatology in Norway.

The third cluster (2c) was derived from analysis of the HIS creation research focus (nine publications). Although health information interchange is the most represented in this cluster, a large number of further themes can be observed. Studies within this cluster predominantly address design aspects of system interoperability, focusing on data processing and data interchange between the actors. HISs mostly serve as a tool for the development or enhancement of decision support systems, such as for real-time diagnostics combining knowledge management with specific patient information (Mitsa et al., 2007 ) or clinical learning models incorporating decision support systems in the dosing process of initial drug selection (Akcura & Ozdemir, 2008 ).

Phase 3: Design and development

The design and development phase comprises 84 research articles concerned with the creation of novel IS artefacts (e.g., theories, models, instantiations). We thereby refer to Lee et al.’s ( 2015 ) definition of the IS artefact – i.e., the information, technology, and social artefact that forms an IS artefact by interacting. We assigned to this phase papers that are explicitly concerned with developing solutions for information exchange (e.g., design of messaging systems or knowledge systems in hospitals), technological artefacts (e.g., hardware or software used for generating electronic health records), and social artefacts that relate to social objects (e.g., design of national or international institutions and policies to control specific health settings and patient-centred solutions). Within the design and development phase, the analysis revealed two clusters (Table 3 ).

The first cluster (3a) was identified in the research focus of HIS creation (31 articles). Here, the most frequent research theme is HIS innovation followed by HIS and patient-centred care, HIS productivity, and health analytics and data mining. The focus is on specific contexts, mostly medical conditions and artefacts developed for their treatment, such as in the context of mental health/psychotherapy (Neben et al., 2016 ; Patel et al., 2018 ), diabetes (Lichtenberg et al., 2019 ), or obesity (Pletikosa et al., 2014 ). Furthermore, information infrastructures or architectures – for instance, for the process of drug prescription (Rodon & Silva, 2015 ), or for communication between healthcare providers and patients (Volland et al., 2014 ) – are represented.

The second aggregation of research articles is found in cluster 3b, focusing on theoretical aspects of HIS (32 articles). Again, these studies span all levels of observation (including infrastructure, individual, professional, organization, and ecosystem). Topics in this theme are diverse, ranging from HIS on a national level (Preko et al., 2019 ), to knowledge management in healthcare (Wu & Hu, 2012 ) to security of HIS (Kenny & Connolly, 2016 ).

Beyond both clusters, it is evident that during design and development, researchers do not deal with the consequences of HIS, nor does HIS strategy play an important role. Furthermore, only in the research focus of theorization is the ecosystem level of some relevance to other levels (e.g., the individual level). It should be noted that ecosystems are mostly referred to in terms of nations or communities, without any transnational or global perspective. Furthermore, the term ‘ecosystem’ has not been used in research, and within the other research focus areas, the ecosystem level is barely represented. Moreover, articles combining different perspectives of the single levels of observation on HIS – namely individuals (i.e., patients), professionals (i.e., medical staff), and organizations (e.g., hospitals) – are rare. During design and development, potential users are not typically integrated, whereas it is quite common to derive requirements and an application design from theory, only involving users afterwards – e.g., in the form of a field experiment (e.g., Neben et al., 2016 ).

Surprisingly, theoretical papers outweigh papers on practical project work, whereby the latter mostly focus on a description of the infrastructure or artefact (e.g., Dehling & Sunyaev, 2012 ; Theobalt et al., 2013 ; Varshney, 2004 ) or are based on (mostly single) case studies (e.g., Hafermalz & Riemer, 2016 ; Klecun et al., 2019 ; Ryan et al., 2019 ). Within the design and development phase, the generation of frameworks, research models, or taxonomies is prevalent (e.g., Preko et al., 2019 ; Tokar et al., 2015 ; Yang & Varshney, 2016 ).

Phase 4: Demonstration

This phase includes 35 articles related to presenting and elaborating on proposed solutions – e.g., how HIS can be implemented organization-wide (e.g., via integration into existing hospital-wide information systems), proposed strategies and health policies, as well as novel solutions that focus on health treatment improvements. Within the demonstration phase, we identified two clusters that emerged from the meta and content analyses (Table 4 ).

Cluster 4a (10 articles) is characterized by articles that focus on HIS issues related to the infrastructure level, spanning the research foci of HIS strategy, creation, and deployment. Content-wise, the cluster deals mainly with technical feasibility and desirability of HISs, including topics such as the configuration of modular infrastructures that support a seamless exchange of HISs within and between hospitals (Dünnebeil et al., 2013 ). Moreover, papers in this cluster address HIS practicability by determining general criteria that are important for the design of health information systems (Maheshwari et al., 2006 ) or conduct HIS application tests by carrying out prototypical implementations of communication infrastructures. In particular, the latter are tested and proven to meet specific technical standards to guarantee the frictionless transmission of health information data (Schweiger et al., 2007 ). In contrast, Heine et al. ( 2003 ) upscaled existing HIS solutions and tested the infrastructure in large, realistic scenarios.

Conversely, cluster 4b (11 articles) is mainly concerned with HIS use and maintenance, spanning several levels of observation – i.e., infrastructure, individuals, professionals, and organizations. Interestingly, papers in this cluster aim at efficiency and added value when looking at the infrastructure and organizational levels, whereas researchers are more interested in acceptance when focusing on the individual and professional use of HISs. Overall, cluster 4b is primarily concerned with organizational performance (e.g., increases in efficiency due to better communication and seamless transfer of patient health information) as well as user acceptance of new HISs.

Although the two clusters constitute a diverse set of literature and themes, it is apparent that research taking an ecosystem perspective is very rarely represented. Across the papers, only three are concerned with issues related to the ecosystem level. In particular, Lebcir et al. ( 2008 ) applied computer simulations in a theoretical demonstration as a decision support system for policy and decision-makers in the healthcare ecosystem. Abouzahra and Tan ( 2014 ) used a mixed-methods approach to demonstrate a model that supports clinical health management. Findikoglu and Watson-Manheim ( 2016 ) addressed the consequences of the implementation of electronic health records (EHR) systems in developing countries.

Phase 5: Evaluation

The fifth phase includes 92 publications with a focus on assessing existing or newly introduced HIS artefacts – i.e., concepts, policies, applications, and programs – thereby proving their innovativeness, effectiveness, or user acceptance. As Table 5 shows, three clusters were identified.

The main focus of publications in the evaluation phase is on the infrastructure level, where most papers are related to HIS creation and HIS use and maintenance. Therefore, together with the publications pigeonholed to HIS deployment and consequences of HIS, these articles were summarized as the first cluster (5a, comprising 53 articles). The assessment of national HIS programs, as well as mobile health solutions, are a frequent focus (10 papers). Articles on HIS use and maintenance are largely related to the professional, organizational, and ecosystem levels and were thus grouped as cluster 5b (10 articles). A third cluster (5c – 11 articles) emerged from research articles in HIS theorization. Here, papers at all levels of observation were found. Research focusing on areas such as HIS strategy and consequences of HIS are, with a few exceptions, not covered in the evaluation phase. Methods used include interviews, focus groups, and observations (e.g., Romanow et al., 2018 ). Experiments and simulation are rarely applied (e.g., Mun & Lee, 2017 ). The number of interviews shows a huge spread, starting with 12 and reaching a maximum of 150 persons interviewed.

Under the evaluation lens, the ecosystem perspective is covered by seven articles, but only three papers look at cases, while the others focus on theorization or consequences in terms of costs. Overall, popular topics in the evaluation phase include mobile health and the fields of electronic medical records (EMR) and EHR, e.g., Huerta et al. ( 2013 ); Kim and Kwon ( 2019 ). The authors cover these themes mostly from an HIS creation perspective; thus, they deal with concrete concepts, prototypes, or even implemented systems. In the evaluation phase, just nine papers deal with HIS innovation – a good example being Bullinger et al. ( 2012 ), who investigated the adoption of open health platforms. We may conclude that, in most cases, evaluation is related to more established technologies of HIS. As expected, most articles in this phase rely on practice-oriented/empirical work (as opposed to theory-driven/conceptual work). Just two papers (Ghanvatkar & Rajan, 2019 ; Lin et al., 2017 ) deal with health analytics and data mining, one of the emerging topics of HIS.

Zooming out: key findings of the literature analysis across phases

Having elaborated on the key findings within each phase of HIS research, we now ‘zoom out’ (Benbya et al., 2020 ; Gaskin et al., 2014 ) to recognize the bigger picture. Thereby, we ‘black-box’ the concrete research themes (e.g., HIS implementation, health analytics, HIS innovation) to focus on clusters across phases, highlighting the breadth that HIS research encompasses (Leroy et al., 2013 ). In particular, while we focused on analysing the main topics within the different phases of HIS research in the zoom-in section, we now abstract from those to perform a comparative analysis of emerging clusters across those phases by zooming out. We do so by comparing the different clusters, taking into account the aspects of the level of observation and the research foci, which gave us the opportunity to identify areas of strong emphasis and potential gaps.

In particular, each author first conducted this comparative analysis on their own and then discussed and identified the potential weaknesses together. This was done in two rounds of discussion. In particular, it became obvious which areas hold immense potential for further research in healthcare (especially the penetration of new, initially non-healthcare actors, such as tech companies or other providers pushing into the industry). We summarize these potentials for research by proposing four pathways that can help HIS research to broaden its focus so that we can better understand and contribute to current developments. Notably, we expect that these insights will help to assess the state-of-the-art of HIS research and its preparedness for dealing with the consequences of Covid-19 and further pandemics, as well as for coping with associated exogenous shocks.

In zooming out, we identified discrepancies between phase 1 (problem identification and research issues) and the subsequent phases. In particular, the diversity of topics was considerably lower when it came to how researchers determined strategies; created, demonstrated, used, and maintained HISs; and coped with the consequences thereof. We observed that researchers pointed to a diverse set of issues that span all levels of observation, especially in HIS theorization, focusing on topics such as trust in HIS, data analytics, and problems associated with the carrying out of national health programs. Surprisingly, although we can assume that researchers recognized the multidimensionality of issues as a motivation to conduct HIS research, they did not seem to approach HIS research issues in a comprehensive and consistent way.

To illustrate this assertion, we point to the ‘shift of clusters’ that can be observed when comparing the single phases, from problem identification to the evaluation of HIS. We note that clusters increasingly migrate ‘downwards’ (i.e., from the ecosystem level down to the infrastructure level) and become even fewer. In line with Braa et al. ( 2004 ), we suggest that extant HIS research has identified a multitude of interrelated issues but has faced problems in translating these approaches into concrete and holistic solutions. This is reflected in the lower number of, and reduced diversity in, clusters across research themes when we move through the HIS research phases. Thus, we conclude that future HIS research can be broadened by taking into account the following pathway:

HIS research is well-prepared and able to identify and theorize on systemic problems related to the healthcare industry. Nonetheless, it has the potential to address these problems more thoroughly – i.e., to find solutions that are as diverse as the problems and, thus, suitable for coping with issues in the healthcare industry characterized by the involvement of multiple actors, such as governments, healthcare providers, tech companies, and their interactions in diverse ecosystems (pathway 1).

As we have seen, HIS research has tended to focus on important but incremental improvements to existing infrastructures, particularly in the phases of demonstration and evaluation, with the aim of presenting new IS artefacts and conceptual or practical solutions. For instance, Choi and Tulu ( 2017 ) considered improvements in user interfaces to decrease the complexity of mobile health applications using incremental interface design changes and altering touch techniques. Similarly, Roehrig and Knorr ( 2000 ) designed patient-centred access controls that can be implemented in existing infrastructures to increase the privacy and security of EHRs and avoid malicious access and misuse of patient health information by third parties.

While we sincerely acknowledge these contributions and wish to emphasize the multitude of papers that are concerned with enhancements to existing infrastructures, we would like to shift the view to the major challenges in HIS research. These challenges include combating global and fast-spreading diseases (e.g., malaria, tuberculosis, Covid-19) and tracking health statuses accurately and efficiently, especially in developing countries. All of these challenges necessitate global and comprehensive solutions, spanning individuals, organizations, and nations, and have to be embedded in a global ecosystem (Winter & Butler, 2011 ). Such grand challenges are, by nature, not easy to cope with, and the intention to develop a comprehensive solution from the perspective of IS researchers seems almost misguided. However, HIS research is currently missing the opportunity to make an impact, despite the discipline’s natural intersection with essential aspects of the healthcare industry (i.e., its infrastructures, technologies, and stakeholders, and the interdependencies between these components). Thus, we assert that:

HIS research has often focused on necessary and incremental improvements to existing IS artefacts and infrastructures. We see potential in shifting this focus to developing solutions that combine existing IS artefacts to allow for exchange of information and the creation of open systems, which will enhance support for and understanding of the emergence of ecosystems (pathway 2).

By focusing on incremental improvements, HIS research has become extraordinarily successful in solving isolated issues, especially in relation to the problems of patients and health service providers (e.g., hospitals and general practitioners). However, we observed during our analysis that spillover effects were seldom investigated. When, for example, a new decision support system in a hospital was introduced, positive consequences for patients, such as more accurate diagnoses, were rarely of interest to the research. In fact, our meta-analysis revealed that the level of observation for the majority of papers matched the level of analysed effects. While it is valid to investigate productivity and efficiency gains by introducing a hospital-wide decision support system, we are convinced that spillover effects (for instance, on patients) should also be within the focus of HIS research. Therein, we suggest that HIS research has not focused primarily on patients and their well-being but on IS infrastructures and artefacts. However, patient well-being is the ultimate direct (or indirect) goal of any HIS research (by increasing the accuracy and shortening the time of diagnosis, improving treatment success rates, etc.). Thus, we propose that:

HIS research is experienced in solving isolated issues related to the daily processes of healthcare providers; however, we see much potential in considering the value that is delivered by focusing on patient-centricity (pathway 3).

Putting the patient at the centre of HIS research implies shifting the focus of researchers to the patient’s own processes. The question remains as to how HIS researchers can support patient-centricity. While this is only possible by understanding patients’ processes, we also see the need to understand the whole system – i.e., the ecosystem in which patients’ processes are embedded. The ecosystem perspective needs to consider networked services and organizations, including resources and how they interact with stakeholders of the healthcare industry (including patients). To date, we observe, across phases the ecosystem perspective has largely been neglected. To be precise, although HIS research seems to be aware of the multilevel aspects of healthcare issues in the problem identification phase, researchers appear to stop or are hindered from developing solutions that go beyond the development of prototypes (Braa et al., 2004 ). Thus, we find that:

HIS research is capable of theorizing on an ecosystem level (i.e., capturing the complexity of the socio-technical health system), but would benefit from increasing the transfer of these insights into research so as to develop holistic solutions (pathway 4).

Looking at the strengths of HIS research, the reviewed papers accentuate the unique contribution that IS researchers can make to better understand and design IS artefacts for the healthcare context. This has been achieved by analysing empirical data and exploring contextual influences through the application and elaboration of IS theories (LeRouge et al., 2007 ). At the same time, our literature review shows the incredible diversity and high level of complexity of issues related to HISs, indicating that we need solutions characterized by holism and the inclusion of multiple actors (i.e., an integrative ecosystem perspective). So far, by concentrating on incremental improvements to existing infrastructures HIS research has widely failed to reach the necessary holistic level.

We would like to emphasize that we recognize the value of all previous approaches. Yet, it is necessary to ask whether we as IS researchers are in a position to identify current developments in the healthcare industry and to anticipate the consequences triggered by pandemics or other waves of disease. We acknowledge that this will be difficult unless we take a more holistic view and try to understand connections in the health ecosystems. Regarding whether HIS research is in a position to capture and anticipate consequences of the current push of tech companies in the healthcare industry catalysed, for example, by Covid-19, we assert that this is hardly the case, even if IS research is well-placed to interpret the expected socio-technical changes and adaptations within healthcare. Given the enormous potential for disruption caused by, for instance, pandemics and its consequences, such as the intrusion of technology companies into the market, it is now time to question and redefine the role of HIS research so that it can generate decisive impacts on the developments in this industry.

• Research agenda

To support HIS research for the transformation of the healthcare industry, we develop a research agenda that is informed by complexity theory. This theory implies that complex, socio-technical systems such as the healthcare industry can fluctuate between different states, ranging from homogenous forms of coevolution (i.e., a state where emergent structures and processes become similar to each other) to chaotic systems that are characterized by increasing levels of tension, which might result in extreme outcomes such as catastrophes or crises (Benbya et al., 2020 ).

While coevolution and chaos represent possible extreme states, the current situation – i.e., the penetration of tech companies into the healthcare industry – is best described by the dynamic process of emergence. Emergence is characterized by a disequilibrium, which implies unpredictability of outcomes that may lead to new structures, patterns, and properties within a system characterized by self-organization and bursts of amplification (Benbya et al., 2020 ; Kozlowski et al., 2013 ). Given the dynamics resulting from this, it seems impossible to predict the future; however, it is not impossible to prepare for it.

In particular, the current dynamics within the healthcare industry necessitate an understanding of exponential progress, not as the ability to foresee well-defined events in space and time, but as an anticipation of the consequences of emerging states and dynamic adaptive behaviours within the industry (Benbya et al., 2020 ). The following research agenda for HIS research is thus structured along three key issues: anticipating the range of actors’ behaviours, determining boundaries and fostering collaboration in the healthcare industry, and creating sustainable knowledge ecosystems.

According to these key issues, Table 6 offers guiding questions for HIS researchers. Addressing all issues will contribute to an understanding of the entire healthcare industry and the development of holistic solutions for a multitude of health issues by involving different actors (e.g., patients, hospitals, professionals, governments, NGOs). However, we propose approaching the agenda stepwise, in the order of the key issues, first looking at the range of behaviours and consequences of current developments for actors, then focusing on the blurring lines of the healthcare industry, and finally investigating the dissemination and sharing of knowledge, which we see as the ultimate means to connect actors and infrastructures to create a joint ecosystem. Table 6 thereby provides key guiding statements and exemplary research questions for future HIS research that support researchers in taking one of the aforementioned pathways. We structured guiding statements along three major areas of improvement. In addition, we offer exemplary research questions to these statements, as well as inspiring studies from other industries that have faced similar challenges and have been studied and supported by researchers.

Area of improvement 1: Anticipating the range of actor behaviours

As healthcare systems are becoming more open – for example, through the penetration of new market actors and the use of increasingly comprehensive and advanced health technologies – accurately determining the boundaries of an industry and its key actors is becoming more difficult. To model these systems, we must carefully model every interaction in them (Benbya et al., 2020 ), which first requires HIS researchers to identify potential actors in the ecosystem rather than predetermining assumed industry boundaries. As actors are not always evident, we follow Benbya et al. ( 2020 ) in proposing Salthe’s ( 1985 ) three-level specification, assisting researchers in identifying actors at the focal level of what is actually observed (e.g., hospitals, patients, and general practitioners) and its relations with the parts described at the lower level (e.g., administrators and legal professionals), taking into account entities or processes at a higher level in which actors at the focal level are embedded (e.g., national health system structures and supporting industries, such as the pharmaceutical or tech industries). These examples are only illustrative, and criteria for levels have to be suggested and discussed for each research endeavour.

To anticipate future developments in the healthcare industry, we also need to analyse the strategies and interests of actors for joining or staying in the healthcare industry. This is especially important because, like other complex socio-technical systems, the healthcare industry is made up of large numbers of actors that influence each other in nonlinear ways, continually adapting to internal or external tensions (Holland et al., 1996 ). If tension rises above a certain threshold, we might expect chaos or extreme outcomes. As these are not beneficial for the actors in the system, the eventual goal is to align actors’ interests and strategies across a specific range of behaviour to foster coevolution. This allows for multi-layered ecosystems that encourage joint business strategies in competitive landscapes, as well as the alignment of business processes and IT across actors (Lee et al., 2013 ).

Area of improvement 2: Determining boundaries and fostering collaboration

Actors build the cornerstones of the healthcare industry. Thus, if we want to understand and capture its blurring boundaries, there is a need to understand the complex causality of interactions among heterogeneous actors. In particular, scholars have emphasized that, in complex systems, outcomes rarely have a single cause but rather result from the interdependence of multiple conditions, implying that there exist multiple pathways from an input to an output (Benbya et al., 2020 ). To capture interaction, we follow Kozlowski et al. ( 2013 ), who envisioned a positive feedback process including bottom-up dynamic interaction among lower-level actors (upward causation), which over time manifests at higher, collective levels, while higher-level actors influence interaction at lower levels (downward causation). As these kinds of causalities shape interaction within healthcare ecosystems as well as at their boundaries, HIS researchers need to account for multi-directional causality in the form of upward, downward, and circular causality (Benbya et al., 2020 ; Kim, 1992 ).

Understanding casualties among actors in the healthcare industry is important for harnessing the advantages of the blurring of boundaries – e.g., by making use of the emergent ecosystem for launching innovation cycles (Hacklin, 2008 ). However, first, HIS researchers increasingly need to consider the ecosystem perspective by investigating interactions among actors and the role of IS infrastructures in fostering collaborative health innovations. We propose a focus on radical innovation, which is necessary to address the diversity and interdependence of issues present in the healthcare industry by putting the patient at the core of all innovation efforts. HIS researchers, however, need to break down the boundaries between different innovation phases and innovation agencies, including a higher level of unpredictability and overlap in their time horizons (Nambisan et al., 2017 ). Notably, this requires actors in the healthcare industry to discover new meaning around advanced technologies and IS infrastructures whose design needs to facilitate shared meaning among a diverse set of actors, thereby fuelling radical digital innovations (Nambisan et al., 2017 ).

Area of improvement 3: Creating sustainable knowledge ecosystems

We define knowledge dissemination and sharing as the ultimate means of connecting actors and aligning actions within common frameworks to shape an inclusive healthcare ecosystem. Paving the way for inclusive healthcare ecosystems is thus necessary to address the current shortcomings of HIS research as elaborated in the previous section.

Addressing knowledge dissemination and sharing is thereby of the utmost importance as we look at the healthcare industry in the current phase of emergence. This means that the industry might go through several transition phases in which existing actors, structures, and causal relationships dissipate and new ones emerge, resulting in a different set of causal relationships and eventually altering knowledge claims (Benbya et al., 2020 ). Creating a permeable and sustainable knowledge management system is necessary to ensure the transfer of knowledge for the best outcomes for the patient while securing the intellectual property rights and competitive advantages of diverse actors such as hospitals and other healthcare providers.

To be precise, we argue that to design sustainable knowledge management systems, HIS researchers need to implement systems with structures that create mutual benefits – i.e., encourage knowledge dissemination and sharing (e.g., open innovation) by actors in the healthcare industry. In a comprehensive and sustainable knowledge management system, however, not only corporations but also patients should be encouraged to share knowledge. Using this information, researchers and health service providers will be enabled to create optimized infrastructures, processes, and products (e.g., for predictive algorithms that improve treatment accuracy, or for assessing the likelihood of the occurrence of certain diseases and even of pandemics). At the same time, the trustworthiness of predictions and the anonymity of health information (and thus privacy) must be ensured. Bridging this duality of data sharing and knowledge dissemination, on the one hand, and protection of health information, on the other, is therefore essential for future HIS research.

This paper analyses the HIS literature within the IS research domain, prompted by the question of whether IS researchers are prepared to capture and anticipate exogenous changes and the consequences of current developments in the healthcare industry. While this review is limited to insights into the IS research domain and does not claim to offer insights into the health literature in general or related publications (e.g., governmental publications), we disclose several shortcomings and three key issues. Based on these, we provide initial guidance on how IS research can develop so that it is prepared to capture the expected large and long-lasting changes from current and possible future pandemics as well as the necessary adaptation of global healthcare industries affecting human agencies and experiences in all dimensions. Thus, while adaptations in the healthcare industry are already emerging, IS researchers have yet to develop a more comprehensive view of the healthcare industry. For this purpose, we provide a research agenda that is structured in terms of three areas of improvement: anticipating the range of actors’ behaviours, determining boundaries and fostering collaborations among actors in the healthcare industry, and creating sustainable knowledge management systems. In particular, addressing these areas will assist IS researchers in balancing the shortcomings of current HIS research with the unique contribution that IS research plays in analysing, advancing, and managing the healthcare industry. We are confident that IS research is not only capable of anticipating changes and consequences but also of actively shaping the future of the healthcare industry by promoting sustainable healthcare ecosystems, cultivating structures of mutual benefit and cooperation between actors, and realigning IS research to face the imminent transformation of the healthcare industry. IS research cannot contribute directly to solving the current pandemic problems; however, it can contribute indirectly triggering timely adaptations of novel technologies in global health systems, and proposing new processes, business models, and systematic changes that will prepare health systems to cope with increasing digitalization and emerging players whose push into the market enabled by the exogenous effects triggered by the pandemic.

While we are confident that the proposed research agenda based on the analysis of HIS literature provides fruitful arrays for being prepared in anticipating the future role of IS research for the healthcare industry, our results need to be reflected in light of their shortcomings. First and foremost, we recognize that the selection of literature, which is limited to the IS research domain, excludes other contextual factors that are not primarily considered by IS researchers. Thus, we cannot assume completeness, providing instead a broad overview of current issues in HIS research. In addition, possible biases may have arisen due to the qualitative analysis approach used. By independently coding and discussing codes to the point of theoretical saturation, we are confident that we largely eliminated biases in the thematic analysis. However, data saturation could not be achieved. This means that further insights could have emerged through the addition of other database searches and journals with a broader scope. Additionally, the initial sorting of papers into single defined phases of DSR research restricted multiple assignments that could have led to different results. However, we consider sorting as a necessary step of abstraction, especially given the large number of papers analysed.

We deliberately considered IS research, for which we have developed an agenda for potential future research avenues. For each of those avenues, researchers should go deeper into the subject matter in order to examine the complexity of the paths shown and to include them in the analysis (e.g., through in-depth case studies). However, it is also clear from the issues identified that IS researchers cannot solve current challenges by working on the pathways alone. In fact, the issues identified in the research agenda are only the starting point for further research, which should address the proposed issues step by step and in cooperation with other research disciplines. The latter is likely to generate further and deeper-rooted problems, as well as, in turn, future paths for research. Nevertheless, we are confident that this paper provides an important first step in opening up HIS research to better understand current developments in the healthcare industry. Further, by following and enhancing the proposed research pathways, we believe that HIS research can contribute to and support changes already taking place in the healthcare industry.

Change history

20 december 2021.

A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-021-00518-8

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Ostern, N., Perscheid, G., Reelitz, C. et al. Keeping pace with the healthcare transformation: a literature review and research agenda for a new decade of health information systems research. Electron Markets 31 , 901–921 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-021-00484-1

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• Advancements in 3D and 4D Medical Imaging
• Augmented Reality in Surgical Navigation Systems
• Integration of Virtual Reality in Medical Imaging
• Ultrasound Imaging Innovations and Applications
• Molecular Imaging for Early Disease Detection
• Optical Coherence Tomography: Recent Developments
• Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry in Bone Health Assessment
• Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) in Neuroimaging
• PET-MRI Hybrid Imaging: Clinical Applications
• Challenges and Opportunities in Portable Imaging Devices
• Advances in Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Technology
• Cone Beam Computed Tomography in Dentistry and Orthopedics
• Photoacoustic Imaging: Principles and Applications
• Innovations in Nuclear Medicine Imaging Techniques
• Wireless Capsule Endoscopy for Gastrointestinal Imaging
• Application of Imaging Biomarkers in Disease Monitoring
• Quantitative Imaging for Precision Medicine

Top 20 Research Topics On Robotics in Surgery: Current Trends and Future Prospects

• Robotic-Assisted Minimally Invasive Surgery: State-of-the-Art
• Applications of Robotics in Cardiovascular Surgery
• Robotics in Orthopedic Surgery: Advances and Challenges
• Role of Robotics in Neurosurgery: Current Landscape
• Telesurgery: Remote Robotic Surgical Procedures
• Robotics in Gynecological Surgery: Innovations and Outcomes
• Enhancing Precision with Surgical Robotics: Case Studies
• Human-Robot Collaboration in Surgical Procedures
• AI Integration in Robotic Surgery: Future Implications
• Evolving Trends in Pediatric Robotic Surgery
• Ethical Considerations in Robotic-Assisted Surgery
• Autonomous Robotic Surgery: Progress and Controversies
• Robotics in Urological Surgery: Latest Developments
• Telerobotics for Global Access to Surgical Expertise
• Navigating Challenges in Robotic Colorectal Surgery
• Advancements in Robotic Ophthalmic Surgery
• Patient Outcomes and Safety in Robotic-Assisted Procedures
• Innovations in Robotic Head and Neck Surgery
• Cost-Benefit Analysis of Robotic Surgery Programs
• Human Factors in the Adoption of Robotic Surgical Systems

Top 20 MedTech Research Topics On Artificial Intelligence Applications in Healthcare

• AI-Driven Diagnostics: Impact on Disease Detection
• Predictive Analytics in Personalized Medicine
• Natural Language Processing in Healthcare Data Management
• Clinical Decision Support Systems: Enhancing Patient Care
• Remote Patient Monitoring with AI Technologies
• Machine Learning for Drug Discovery and Development
• AI-Based Imaging Analysis for Disease Identification
• Virtual Health Assistants: Role and Potential
• Ethical Considerations in AI-Driven Healthcare
• Blockchain in Securing Healthcare Data with AI Integration
• Robotic Process Automation in Healthcare Administration
• Telehealth Platforms Enhanced by Artificial Intelligence
• AI Applications in Mental Health Diagnosis and Treatment
• Real-Time Health Monitoring Wearables with AI
• AI-Based Robotics in Rehabilitation Therapy
• Chronic Disease Management with AI-Powered Solutions
• Precision Medicine Algorithms and AI Integration
• Cybersecurity Measures for AI in Healthcare Systems
• AI in Epidemiology: Predicting and Managing Outbreaks
• Adoption and Acceptance of AI Technologies in Healthcare

Top 20 Research Topics On Telemedicine: Bridging Gaps in Healthcare Accessibility

• Telehealth Adoption: Trends and Challenges
• Remote Patient Monitoring in Telemedicine
• Telemedicine and Rural Healthcare Access
• Telepsychiatry: Addressing Mental Health Disparities
• Effectiveness of Telemedicine in Chronic Disease Management
• Telemedicine for Emergency Medical Services
• Teleophthalmology: Advancements and Applications
• Telemedicine in Maternal and Child Health
• Legal and Ethical Considerations in Telehealth
• Impact of Telemedicine on Preventive Healthcare
• Telecardiology: Remote Cardiac Care Solutions
• Tele-rehabilitation: Innovations and Outcomes
• Patient Satisfaction and Telehealth Services
• Telemedicine’s Role in Disaster Response and Preparedness
• Tele-dermatology: Remote Skin Health Consultations
• Barriers to Telemedicine Adoption and Solutions
• Telehealth Policies and Regulation: Global Perspectives
• Teleaudiology: Improving Hearing Healthcare Access
• Cost-Effectiveness of Telemedicine Programs
• Integration of AI and Telemedicine for Enhanced Services

Top 20 Research Topics On Wearable Health Technology: Impact on Patient Monitoring

• Continuous Glucose Monitoring with Wearable Devices
• Wearable ECG Monitors for Cardiovascular Health
• Smart Wearables in Monitoring Respiratory Conditions
• Impact of Fitness Trackers on Physical Activity and Health
• Wearable Sensors for Early Detection of Neurological Disorders
• Integration of Wearables in Chronic Disease Management
• Wearable Health Technology and Elderly Patient Care
• Wearables in Sleep Monitoring and Sleep Disorders
• Biofeedback Wearables for Stress Management
• Remote Patient Monitoring with Wearable Devices
• Wearable Devices for Postoperative Rehabilitation
• Ethical and Privacy Considerations in Wearable Health Tech
• Wearable Technology in Pediatric Healthcare
• Effectiveness of Wearables in Weight Management
• Wearable Mental Health Monitoring and Intervention
• Impact of Smartwatches on Lifestyle and Health Choices
• Wearable Technology for Medication Adherence
• Wearables and Patient Empowerment in Healthcare
• Telemedicine Integration with Wearable Health Devices
• Long-term Health Outcomes with Wearable Technology Use

Top 20 MedTech Research Topics On Blockchain Technology in Healthcare Data Management

• Blockchain for Secure Health Data Exchange
• Smart Contracts in Healthcare: Applications and Challenges
• Decentralized Identity Management in Medical Records
• Blockchain-Based Drug Traceability and Supply Chain
• Interoperability Solutions with Blockchain in Healthcare
• Patient-Centric Health Data Ownership on Blockchain
• Ensuring Privacy in Electronic Health Records with Blockchain
• Blockchain in Clinical Trials: Transparency and Trust
• Tokenization of Health Data for Monetization and Privacy
• Blockchain-Based Health Insurance Claims Processing
• Securing IoT Devices in Healthcare with Blockchain
• Blockchain for Medical Credentialing and Licensing
• Immutable Audit Trails in Healthcare Operations
• Using Blockchain to Combat Counterfeit Pharmaceuticals
• Implementing Consensus Algorithms in Healthcare Blockchains
• Patient Consent Management on Blockchain
• Blockchain-Based Public Health Surveillance
• Data Integrity and Authenticity in Genomic Data on Blockchain
• Blockchain in Telehealth: Enhancing Security
• Smart Hospitals: Integrating Blockchain for Data Security

Top 20 Research Topics On Nanotechnology in Medicine: Innovations and Challenges

• Nanoparticles for Targeted Drug Delivery in Cancer Treatment
• Applications of Nanotechnology in Regenerative Medicine
• Nanostructures for Imaging and Diagnosis in Medicine
• Nanomaterials in Wound Healing and Tissue Engineering
• Nanoparticle-Based Therapeutics for Neurological Disorders
• Challenges and Solutions in Nanomedicine Translation to Clinic
• Nanotechnology in Immunotherapy: Recent Developments
• Bio-Nanorobotics for Targeted Cellular Interventions
• Nanoparticle-Mediated Gene Therapy in Medicine
• Nanotechnology in Cardiovascular Medicine: Innovations
• Nanoscale Sensors for In Vivo Disease Monitoring
• Biocompatibility and Toxicity Considerations in Nanomedicine
• Nanostructured Biomaterials for Orthopedic Applications
• Nanotechnology in Infectious Disease Diagnosis and Treatment
• Challenges of Scaling Up Nanomedicine Production
• Nanoparticles for Enhanced Vaccine Delivery and Efficacy
• Nanoscale Imaging Techniques in Medical Research
• Ethical Implications of Nanotechnology in Medicine
• Nanodevices for Point-of-Care Diagnostics
• Nanomedicine for Personalized Treatment Strategies

Top 20 Research Topics On Smart Health Devices for Chronic Disease Management

• Wearable Sensors for Continuous Glucose Monitoring in Diabetes
• Smart Inhalers: Improving Asthma and COPD Management
• IoT-Based Blood Pressure Monitoring Devices for Hypertension
• Telemonitoring Systems for Cardiac Patients with Heart Failure
• Smart Pill Dispensers for Medication Adherence in Chronic Diseases
• Digital Therapeutics in the Management of Mental Health Disorders
• Mobile Apps for Remote Pain Management in Chronic Conditions
• Smart Contact Lenses for Glaucoma Monitoring
• Virtual Reality Therapy for Chronic Pain Management
• Smart Textiles for Monitoring and Managing Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Smart Hearing Aids: Technological Advancements for Hearing Loss
• Personalized Nutrition Apps for Chronic Disease Prevention
• mHealth Solutions for Cognitive Rehabilitation in Neurological Disorders
• Smart Orthopedic Devices for Arthritis and Joint Health
• Smart Home Technologies for Aging in Place and Chronic Care
• Connected Devices for Sleep Disorders and Management
• Telehealth Platforms for Chronic Respiratory Disease Monitoring
• Digital Footwear and Insoles for Diabetic Foot Ulcer Prevention
• Smart Rehabilitation Devices for Stroke Survivors
• Robotic Assistive Devices for Movement Disorders in Neurological Diseases

Top 20 MedTech Research Topics On Biomedical Engineering Innovations

• Advancements in Wearable Biomedical Sensors
• Nanotechnology Applications in Biomedical Engineering
• Innovations in Biomechanics for Prosthetics and Orthotics
• Artificial Organs and Biomedical Implants
• Biosensors for Rapid Disease Detection
• Bioinformatics and Computational Biology in Biomedical Engineering
• Biomedical Robotics for Surgery and Rehabilitation
• Biomedical Imaging Modalities: Beyond Traditional Techniques
• Neuroprosthetics for Restoring Sensory and Motor Functions
• Tissue Engineering: Creating Functional Biological Constructs
• Biomedical Engineering Solutions for Cardiovascular Health
• Smart Drug Delivery Systems: Precision Medicine Approaches
• Advances in Biomedical Materials and Biomimicry
• Point-of-Care Diagnostic Technologies for Global Health
• Telemedicine Platforms Enhanced by Biomedical Engineering
• Biomedical Signal Processing for Health Monitoring
• Biomedical Engineering in Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment
• Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Therapies
• Biomedical Devices for Remote Patient Monitoring
• Ethical and Social Implications of Biomedical Engineering Innovations

Top 20 Research Topics On Health Information Exchange Systems

• Interoperability Challenges in Health Information Exchange (HIE)
• Blockchain Technology for Securing Health Information Exchange
• Patient Consent Management in HIE Systems
• Role of Artificial Intelligence in Optimizing HIE
• Data Standardization and Semantic Interoperability in HIE
• HIE Platforms and Data Sharing in Emergency Situations
• Mobile Health Apps Integration with HIE Systems
• Impact of HIE on Care Coordination and Continuity
• Privacy and Security Concerns in HIE Implementation
• Economic and Financial Aspects of Health Information Exchange
• HIE and Population Health Management Strategies
• Health Information Exchange in Rural and Underserved Areas
• HIE Systems in the Context of Value-Based Care
• Consumer-Mediated Exchange of Health Information
• Health Information Exchange in Mental Health Services
• The Role of HIE in Managing Chronic Diseases
• Legal and Ethical Considerations in HIE Governance
• HIE for Integrating Behavioral Health and Primary Care
• Data Analytics and Insights Derived from HIE Systems
• Usability and User Experience in HIE Interfaces

Top 20 MedTech Research Topics On Innovative Drug Delivery Systems

• Nanoparticle-Based Drug Delivery for Targeted Therapies
• Implantable Drug Delivery Systems for Prolonged Treatment
• Biodegradable Polymers in Drug Delivery Innovations
• Microneedle Technology for Transdermal Drug Delivery
• Inhaled Drug Delivery Systems for Respiratory Diseases
• Smart Drug Delivery Devices with Remote Monitoring
• Hydrogel-Based Drug Delivery for Controlled Release
• Nanomedicine Approaches for Crossing the Blood-Brain Barrier
• 3D-Printed Drug Delivery Systems for Personalized Medicine
• Implantable Biosensors for Continuous Drug Monitoring
• Liposomal Drug Delivery: Advances and Applications
• Peptide-Based Drug Delivery for Enhanced Therapeutic Efficacy
• Oral Insulin Delivery Systems for Diabetes Management
• Exosome-Mediated Drug Delivery for Precision Medicine
• Photothermal and Photodynamic Drug Delivery Strategies
• Bioadhesive Drug Delivery Systems for Localized Treatment
• Responsive Drug Delivery: Stimuli-Responsive Nanoparticles
• Microfluidic Platforms for High-Throughput Drug Screening
• RNA-Based Drug Delivery for Gene Therapies
• Implantable Microchips for Programmable Drug Release

Top 20 Research Topics On 3D Printing in Medicine: Customization and Applications

• Bioprinting of Functional Human Organs for Transplantation
• Customized Prosthetics and Orthopedic Implants with 3D Printing
• 3D Printing in Drug Delivery: Personalized Medicine Approaches
• Bioinks and Biomaterials for Biocompatible 3D Printing
• 3D-Printed Medical Models for Surgical Planning and Training
• Dental Applications of 3D Printing: Crowns, Bridges, and Implants
• Patient-Specific Surgical Guides and Instruments via 3D Printing
• 3D-Printed Wearable Health Devices for Continuous Monitoring
• Tissue Engineering with 3D-Printed Scaffolds and Constructs
• Regulatory and Ethical Challenges in 3D-Printed Medical Devices
• 3D Bioprinting of Skin Tissues for Wound Healing
• 3D-Printed Medical Robotics for Minimally Invasive Procedures
• 3D-Printed Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms: Drug Printing
• Biomechanical Analysis of 3D-Printed Implants and Prosthetics
• 3D Printing in Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Surgery
• 3D-Printed Sensors for In Vivo Monitoring of Health Parameters
• 3D-Printed Medical Equipment for Low-Resource Settings
• Educational Applications of 3D Printing in Medical Training
• 3D Printing in Pediatric Healthcare: Custom Solutions
• Personalized Cancer Models Using 3D Printing Technology

Top 20 Research Topics On Wireless Sensor Networks for Healthcare Monitoring

• Energy-Efficient Routing Protocols in Healthcare WSNs
• Security and Privacy Concerns in Wireless Medical Sensor Networks
• QoS Optimization for Real-Time Health Monitoring Applications
• Machine Learning for Anomaly Detection in WSNs for Healthcare
• Scalability and Reliability in Large-Scale Healthcare WSNs
• Integration of IoT and WSNs for Comprehensive Health Monitoring
• Optimizing Data Aggregation Techniques in Medical WSNs
• Wireless Sensor Networks for Elderly Patient Monitoring
• Innovations in Wearable Sensor Devices for Healthcare
• Fault Tolerance Mechanisms in WSNs for Medical Applications
• Body Area Networks (BANs) for Continuous Health Monitoring
• Edge Computing in Wireless Healthcare Sensor Networks
• Localization Techniques for Precise Patient Tracking
• Dynamic Spectrum Access for Efficient WSN Communication
• Wireless Sensor Networks for Rehabilitation Monitoring
• Hybrid Communication Protocols in Healthcare WSNs
• Ambient Assisted Living with Wireless Health Sensors
• Cross-Layer Design for Enhanced Performance in WSNs
• Wireless Capsule Endoscopy for Gastrointestinal Monitoring
• Ethical Considerations in Wireless Health Monitoring Technologies

Top 20 MedTech Research Topics On Virtual Reality in Medical Training and Therapy

• Simulation Training with Virtual Reality for Surgical Skills
• Immersive Virtual Reality Environments for Medical Education
• VR-Based Anatomy Learning for Medical Students
• Cognitive Rehabilitation Using Virtual Reality Therapy
• Psychological Therapy and Exposure Therapy in VR
• Patient Education and Empowerment through VR
• Pain Management with Virtual Reality in Healthcare
• VR-Based Rehabilitation for Neurological Disorders
• Surgical Planning and Preoperative Visualization in VR
• VR Simulations for Emergency Medical Training
• Enhancing Physical Rehabilitation with VR Technologies
• VR in Pain Distraction for Pediatric Patients
• Remote Consultations and Telemedicine in Virtual Reality
• Simulated Medical Procedures and Interventions in VR
• Virtual Reality for Stress Reduction and Mindfulness
• VR-Based Exposure Therapy for Anxiety and Phobias
• Recreating Medical Environments for Realistic Training
• VR in Occupational Therapy for Rehabilitation
• Haptic Feedback in Virtual Reality Medical Simulations
• Ethical Considerations in the Use of VR in Medical Practice

Top 20 Research Topics On Bioinformatics: Analyzing Biological Data for Medical Insights

• Next-Generation Sequencing Data Analysis Techniques
• Machine Learning Algorithms for Predicting Disease Risk
• Integration of Multi-Omics Data in Systems Biology
• Structural Bioinformatics: Protein Structure Prediction
• Genome-Wide Association Studies in Medical Research
• Network Pharmacology for Drug Target Identification
• Metagenomics: Analyzing Microbial Communities in Health
• Deep Learning Applications in Biomedical Image Analysis
• Bioinformatics Tools for Personalized Medicine
• Functional Annotation of Non-Coding RNAs
• Phylogenomics: Evolutionary Analysis of Genomes
• Clinical Bioinformatics in Cancer Genomics
• Data Mining for Biomarker Discovery in Diseases
• Text Mining and Natural Language Processing in Biomedicine
• Computational Epigenetics: Analyzing Epigenomic Data
• Quantitative Proteomics for Biomarker Identification
• Bioinformatics Approaches in Drug Repurposing
• Population Genomics: Understanding Genetic Diversity
• Integration of Electronic Health Records in Bioinformatics
• Ethical and Privacy Considerations in Biomedical Data Analysis

Top 20 Research Topics On Personalized Medicine: Tailoring Treatment Plans

• Genomic Medicine: Precision Diagnosis and Treatment
• Pharmacogenomics in Personalized Drug Prescription
• Role of Artificial Intelligence in Personalized Medicine
• Patient-Derived Organoids for Drug Screening
• Immunotherapy and Personalized Cancer Treatment
• Epigenetic Markers in Predicting Disease Risk
• Digital Twins for Personalized Health Predictions
• Metabolomics and Personalized Nutrition Plans
• Microbiome Analysis for Tailored Therapies
• Real-world Evidence in Personalized Medicine Research
• Remote Patient Monitoring for Personalized Care
• Individualized Vaccine Development and Administration
• Applications of Wearable Technology in Personalized Health
• Machine Learning for Predicting Treatment Response
• Patient-Reported Outcomes in Personalized Healthcare
• Ethical and Legal Implications of Personalized Medicine
• Biomarker Discovery for Personalized Disease Monitoring
• Innovations in Personalized Cardiovascular Interventions
• Psychiatric Genetics and Personalized Mental Health Treatments
• Patient Empowerment in Decision-Making in Personalized Medicine

Top 20 MedTech Research Topics On Implantable Medical Devices: Enhancing Patient Lives

• Wireless Communication in Implantable Medical Devices
• Nanotechnology in Designing Miniaturized Implants
• Smart Implants for Continuous Health Monitoring
• Biocompatible Materials for Long-Term Implant Stability
• Neural Interfaces for Brain-Computer Interface Implants
• Biomechanics of Orthopedic Implants: Innovations
• Cardiac Implantable Devices: Advancements in Pacemakers
• Implantable Drug Delivery Systems for Targeted Therapies
• Energy Harvesting for Self-Powered Implantable Devices
• Neurostimulation Implants for Chronic Pain Management
• Bionic Limbs and Prosthetics: Enhancing Mobility
• Implantable Biosensors for Real-Time Disease Monitoring
• 3D Printing Technology in Customized Implant Production
• Implantable Medical Devices and IoT Integration
• Implants for Vision Restoration: Retinal Prosthetics
• Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (ICDs) Innovations
• Wireless Charging Systems for Implantable Devices
• Biodegradable Implants: Applications and Challenges
• Implantable Sensors for Continuous Glucose Monitoring
• Ethical Considerations in the Development of Implantable Devices

Top 20 Research Topics On Regenerative Medicine: Tissue Engineering and Stem Cells

• 3D Bioprinting in Tissue Engineering: Current Progress
• Stem Cell Therapy for Cardiovascular Regeneration
• Biomaterials for Scaffold Design in Tissue Engineering
• CRISPR/Cas9 Gene Editing in Stem Cell Research
• Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Orthopedic Tissue Regeneration
• Organoids: Miniature Organs for Disease Modeling
• Decellularized Tissue Matrices in Regenerative Medicine
• Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs) Applications
• Bioreactors in Tissue Engineering and Regeneration
• Neural Tissue Engineering for Spinal Cord Injury Repair
• Engineering Vascularized Tissues for Transplantation
• Immunomodulation in Stem Cell-Based Therapies
• MicroRNA Regulation in Stem Cell Differentiation
• Regenerative Dentistry: Stem Cells in Oral Tissue Engineering
• Clinical Translation Challenges in Stem Cell Therapies
• Synthetic Biology Approaches in Tissue Engineering
• Regeneration of Skin Tissues: Advances and Applications
• Exosome-Based Therapies for Regenerative Medicine
• Bioactive Molecules in Tissue Regeneration Strategies
• Biofabrication Techniques for Stem Cell-Derived Constructs

Top 20 MedTech Research Topics On Cybersecurity in Healthcare: Protecting Patient Data

• Security Measures for Electronic Health Records (EHRs)
• Blockchain Technology for Securing Health Data Transactions
• Role of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare Cybersecurity
• Medical Device Cybersecurity: Vulnerabilities and Solutions
• Data Encryption in Healthcare Communication Systems
• Secure Cloud Computing for Health Information Storage
• Biometric Authentication in Accessing Patient Records
• Cybersecurity Awareness and Training in Healthcare
• IoT Security in Connected Medical Devices
• Risk Assessment and Management in Healthcare Cybersecurity
• Incident Response Plans for Healthcare Institutions
• Securing Telehealth Platforms from Cyber Threats
• Regulatory Compliance and Cybersecurity in Healthcare
• Emerging Threats in MedTech: Preparing for the Future
• Data Integrity and Authentication in Health Information
• Healthcare Cybersecurity Standards and Best Practices
• Cybersecurity in Wearable Health Technology
• Securing Health Information Exchanges (HIEs)
• Biomedical Research Data Protection Strategies
• Collaboration and Information Sharing in Cybersecurity for Healthcare

Top 20 Research Topics On Global Health Technologies: Addressing Healthcare Disparities

• Telemedicine in Low-Resource Settings: Overcoming Barriers
• Mobile Health (mHealth) Interventions for Maternal Health
• Remote Patient Monitoring for Chronic Disease Management
• Community Health Worker Programs and Technology Integration
• Role of Artificial Intelligence in Global Health Diagnostics
• Low-Cost Diagnostics for Infectious Diseases in Developing Countries
• Health Information Systems for Efficient Data Management
• Access to Essential Medicines: Technological Solutions
• Solar-Powered Health Technologies in Off-Grid Areas
• Wearable Devices for Health Surveillance in Underserved Communities
• Water and Sanitation Technologies for Preventive Healthcare
• Global Health Mobile Apps: Education and Awareness
• Drones in Healthcare Delivery: Remote and Rural Areas
• Digital Health Records for Improving Patient Outcomes
• Technology-Enabled Community Health Campaigns
• E-health Platforms for Health Education and Promotion
• Innovative Vaccination Technologies in Global Health
• Role of Blockchain in Improving Health Equity
• Global Health Data Analytics for Epidemiological Research
• Partnerships and Collaborations for Sustainable Health Technologies

In ending, this diverse collection of Medtech Research Topics opens doors to a world of innovative possibilities. From smart health devices to futuristic surgery tech, these topics promise a wealth of insights for anyone curious about the future of healthcare. 

Whether you’re fascinated by AI in medicine or the potential of regenerative therapies, these topics will spark curiosity and encourage a in depth understanding of the ever-evolving field of medical technology.

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Research Topics & Ideas: Healthcare

100+ Healthcare Research Topic Ideas To Fast-Track Your Project

Finding and choosing a strong research topic is the critical first step when it comes to crafting a high-quality dissertation, thesis or research project. If you’ve landed on this post, chances are you’re looking for a healthcare-related research topic , but aren’t sure where to start. Here, we’ll explore a variety of healthcare-related research ideas and topic thought-starters across a range of healthcare fields, including allopathic and alternative medicine, dentistry, physical therapy, optometry, pharmacology and public health.

NB – This is just the start…

The topic ideation and evaluation process has multiple steps . In this post, we’ll kickstart the process by sharing some research topic ideas within the healthcare domain. This is the starting point, but to develop a well-defined research topic, you’ll need to identify a clear and convincing research gap , along with a well-justified plan of action to fill that gap.

If you’re new to the oftentimes perplexing world of research, or if this is your first time undertaking a formal academic research project, be sure to check out our free dissertation mini-course. In it, we cover the process of writing a dissertation or thesis from start to end. Be sure to also sign up for our free webinar that explores how to find a high-quality research topic.

Overview: Healthcare Research Topics

• Allopathic medicine
• Alternative /complementary medicine
• Veterinary medicine
• Physical therapy/ rehab
• Optometry and ophthalmology
• Pharmacy and pharmacology
• Public health
• Examples of healthcare-related dissertations

Allopathic (Conventional) Medicine

• The effectiveness of telemedicine in remote elderly patient care
• The impact of stress on the immune system of cancer patients
• The effects of a plant-based diet on chronic diseases such as diabetes
• The use of AI in early cancer diagnosis and treatment
• The role of the gut microbiome in mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety
• The efficacy of mindfulness meditation in reducing chronic pain: A systematic review
• The benefits and drawbacks of electronic health records in a developing country
• The effects of environmental pollution on breast milk quality
• The use of personalized medicine in treating genetic disorders
• The impact of social determinants of health on chronic diseases in Asia
• The role of high-intensity interval training in improving cardiovascular health
• The efficacy of using probiotics for gut health in pregnant women
• The impact of poor sleep on the treatment of chronic illnesses
• The role of inflammation in the development of chronic diseases such as lupus
• The effectiveness of physiotherapy in pain control post-surgery

Topics & Ideas: Alternative Medicine

• The benefits of herbal medicine in treating young asthma patients
• The use of acupuncture in treating infertility in women over 40 years of age
• The effectiveness of homoeopathy in treating mental health disorders: A systematic review
• The role of aromatherapy in reducing stress and anxiety post-surgery
• The impact of mindfulness meditation on reducing high blood pressure
• The use of chiropractic therapy in treating back pain of pregnant women
• The efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine such as Shun-Qi-Tong-Xie (SQTX) in treating digestive disorders in China
• The impact of yoga on physical and mental health in adolescents
• The benefits of hydrotherapy in treating musculoskeletal disorders such as tendinitis
• The role of Reiki in promoting healing and relaxation post birth
• The effectiveness of naturopathy in treating skin conditions such as eczema
• The use of deep tissue massage therapy in reducing chronic pain in amputees
• The impact of tai chi on the treatment of anxiety and depression
• The benefits of reflexology in treating stress, anxiety and chronic fatigue
• The role of acupuncture in the prophylactic management of headaches and migraines

Topics & Ideas: Dentistry

• The impact of sugar consumption on the oral health of infants
• The use of digital dentistry in improving patient care: A systematic review
• The efficacy of orthodontic treatments in correcting bite problems in adults
• The role of dental hygiene in preventing gum disease in patients with dental bridges
• The impact of smoking on oral health and tobacco cessation support from UK dentists
• The benefits of dental implants in restoring missing teeth in adolescents
• The use of lasers in dental procedures such as root canals
• The efficacy of root canal treatment using high-frequency electric pulses in saving infected teeth
• The role of fluoride in promoting remineralization and slowing down demineralization
• The impact of stress-induced reflux on oral health
• The benefits of dental crowns in restoring damaged teeth in elderly patients
• The use of sedation dentistry in managing dental anxiety in children
• The efficacy of teeth whitening treatments in improving dental aesthetics in patients with braces
• The role of orthodontic appliances in improving well-being
• The impact of periodontal disease on overall health and chronic illnesses

Tops & Ideas: Veterinary Medicine

• The impact of nutrition on broiler chicken production
• The role of vaccines in disease prevention in horses
• The importance of parasite control in animal health in piggeries
• The impact of animal behaviour on welfare in the dairy industry
• The effects of environmental pollution on the health of cattle
• The role of veterinary technology such as MRI in animal care
• The importance of pain management in post-surgery health outcomes
• The impact of genetics on animal health and disease in layer chickens
• The effectiveness of alternative therapies in veterinary medicine: A systematic review
• The role of veterinary medicine in public health: A case study of the COVID-19 pandemic
• The impact of climate change on animal health and infectious diseases in animals
• The importance of animal welfare in veterinary medicine and sustainable agriculture
• The effects of the human-animal bond on canine health
• The role of veterinary medicine in conservation efforts: A case study of Rhinoceros poaching in Africa
• The impact of veterinary research of new vaccines on animal health

Topics & Ideas: Physical Therapy/Rehab

• The efficacy of aquatic therapy in improving joint mobility and strength in polio patients
• The impact of telerehabilitation on patient outcomes in Germany
• The effect of kinesiotaping on reducing knee pain and improving function in individuals with chronic pain
• A comparison of manual therapy and yoga exercise therapy in the management of low back pain
• The use of wearable technology in physical rehabilitation and the impact on patient adherence to a rehabilitation plan
• The impact of mindfulness-based interventions in physical therapy in adolescents
• The effects of resistance training on individuals with Parkinson’s disease
• The role of hydrotherapy in the management of fibromyalgia
• The impact of cognitive-behavioural therapy in physical rehabilitation for individuals with chronic pain
• The use of virtual reality in physical rehabilitation of sports injuries
• The effects of electrical stimulation on muscle function and strength in athletes
• The role of physical therapy in the management of stroke recovery: A systematic review
• The impact of pilates on mental health in individuals with depression
• The use of thermal modalities in physical therapy and its effectiveness in reducing pain and inflammation
• The effect of strength training on balance and gait in elderly patients

Topics & Ideas: Optometry & Opthalmology

• The impact of screen time on the vision and ocular health of children under the age of 5
• The effects of blue light exposure from digital devices on ocular health
• The role of dietary interventions, such as the intake of whole grains, in the management of age-related macular degeneration
• The use of telemedicine in optometry and ophthalmology in the UK
• The impact of myopia control interventions on African American children’s vision
• The use of contact lenses in the management of dry eye syndrome: different treatment options
• The effects of visual rehabilitation in individuals with traumatic brain injury
• The role of low vision rehabilitation in individuals with age-related vision loss: challenges and solutions
• The impact of environmental air pollution on ocular health
• The effectiveness of orthokeratology in myopia control compared to contact lenses
• The role of dietary supplements, such as omega-3 fatty acids, in ocular health
• The effects of ultraviolet radiation exposure from tanning beds on ocular health
• The impact of computer vision syndrome on long-term visual function
• The use of novel diagnostic tools in optometry and ophthalmology in developing countries
• The effects of virtual reality on visual perception and ocular health: an examination of dry eye syndrome and neurologic symptoms

Topics & Ideas: Pharmacy & Pharmacology

• The impact of medication adherence on patient outcomes in cystic fibrosis
• The use of personalized medicine in the management of chronic diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease
• The effects of pharmacogenomics on drug response and toxicity in cancer patients
• The role of pharmacists in the management of chronic pain in primary care
• The impact of drug-drug interactions on patient mental health outcomes
• The use of telepharmacy in healthcare: Present status and future potential
• The effects of herbal and dietary supplements on drug efficacy and toxicity
• The role of pharmacists in the management of type 1 diabetes
• The impact of medication errors on patient outcomes and satisfaction
• The use of technology in medication management in the USA
• The effects of smoking on drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics: A case study of clozapine
• Leveraging the role of pharmacists in preventing and managing opioid use disorder
• The impact of the opioid epidemic on public health in a developing country
• The use of biosimilars in the management of the skin condition psoriasis
• The effects of the Affordable Care Act on medication utilization and patient outcomes in African Americans

Topics & Ideas: Public Health

• The impact of the built environment and urbanisation on physical activity and obesity
• The effects of food insecurity on health outcomes in Zimbabwe
• The role of community-based participatory research in addressing health disparities
• The impact of social determinants of health, such as racism, on population health
• The effects of heat waves on public health
• The role of telehealth in addressing healthcare access and equity in South America
• The impact of gun violence on public health in South Africa
• The effects of chlorofluorocarbons air pollution on respiratory health
• The role of public health interventions in reducing health disparities in the USA
• The impact of the United States Affordable Care Act on access to healthcare and health outcomes
• The effects of water insecurity on health outcomes in the Middle East
• The role of community health workers in addressing healthcare access and equity in low-income countries
• The impact of mass incarceration on public health and behavioural health of a community
• The effects of floods on public health and healthcare systems
• The role of social media in public health communication and behaviour change in adolescents

Examples: Healthcare Dissertation & Theses

While the ideas we’ve presented above are a decent starting point for finding a healthcare-related research topic, they are fairly generic and non-specific. So, it helps to look at actual dissertations and theses to see how this all comes together.

Below, we’ve included a selection of research projects from various healthcare-related degree programs to help refine your thinking. These are actual dissertations and theses, written as part of Master’s and PhD-level programs, so they can provide some useful insight as to what a research topic looks like in practice.

• Improving Follow-Up Care for Homeless Populations in North County San Diego (Sanchez, 2021)
• On the Incentives of Medicare’s Hospital Reimbursement and an Examination of Exchangeability (Elzinga, 2016)
• Managing the healthcare crisis: the career narratives of nurses (Krueger, 2021)
• Methods for preventing central line-associated bloodstream infection in pediatric haematology-oncology patients: A systematic literature review (Balkan, 2020)
• Farms in Healthcare: Enhancing Knowledge, Sharing, and Collaboration (Garramone, 2019)
• When machine learning meets healthcare: towards knowledge incorporation in multimodal healthcare analytics (Yuan, 2020)
• Integrated behavioural healthcare: The future of rural mental health (Fox, 2019)
• Healthcare service use patterns among autistic adults: A systematic review with narrative synthesis (Gilmore, 2021)
• Mindfulness-Based Interventions: Combatting Burnout and Compassionate Fatigue among Mental Health Caregivers (Lundquist, 2022)
• Transgender and gender-diverse people’s perceptions of gender-inclusive healthcare access and associated hope for the future (Wille, 2021)
• Efficient Neural Network Synthesis and Its Application in Smart Healthcare (Hassantabar, 2022)
• The Experience of Female Veterans and Health-Seeking Behaviors (Switzer, 2022)
• Machine learning applications towards risk prediction and cost forecasting in healthcare (Singh, 2022)
• Does Variation in the Nursing Home Inspection Process Explain Disparity in Regulatory Outcomes? (Fox, 2020)

Looking at these titles, you can probably pick up that the research topics here are quite specific and narrowly-focused , compared to the generic ones presented earlier. This is an important thing to keep in mind as you develop your own research topic. That is to say, to create a top-notch research topic, you must be precise and target a specific context with specific variables of interest . In other words, you need to identify a clear, well-justified research gap.

Need more help?

If you’re still feeling a bit unsure about how to find a research topic for your healthcare dissertation or thesis, check out Topic Kickstarter service below.

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15 Comments

I need topics that will match the Msc program am running in healthcare research please

Hello Mabel,

I can help you with a good topic, kindly provide your email let’s have a good discussion on this.

Can you provide some research topics and ideas on Immunology?

Thank you to create new knowledge on research problem verse research topic

Help on problem statement on teen pregnancy

This post might be useful: https://gradcoach.com/research-problem-statement/

can you provide me with a research topic on healthcare related topics to a qqi level 5 student

Please can someone help me with research topics in public health ?

Hello I have requirement of Health related latest research issue/topics for my social media speeches. If possible pls share health issues , diagnosis, treatment.

I would like a topic thought around first-line support for Gender-Based Violence for survivors or one related to prevention of Gender-Based Violence

Please can I be helped with a master’s research topic in either chemical pathology or hematology or immunology? thanks

Can u please provide me with a research topic on occupational health and safety at the health sector

Good day kindly help provide me with Ph.D. Public health topics on Reproductive and Maternal Health, interventional studies on Health Education

may you assist me with a good easy healthcare administration study topic

May you assist me in finding a research topic on nutrition,physical activity and obesity. On the impact on children

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Top 400 Information Technology Research Topics – Full Guide!

The field of IT is progressive and ever-changing due to the rapid development of hardware, software, and networking technologies. The demand for innovative research in IT has also continued to rise as businesses and organizations embrace digital systems and data-driven solutions. 

Understanding the salient areas of study in IT will help professionals keep up with changes that arise and enable organizations to leverage emerging technologies effectively. 

Cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, cloud computing , and big data analytics have emerged through IT research. These fundamental factors shape the modern technology landscape, giving rise to immense possibilities for boosting productivity, raising efficiency, and improving competitiveness across sectors. 

However, companies wanting to navigate the complexities of today’s digital age and exploit new technological advances must examine some of the latest IT research topics.

Understanding Information Technology Research

Table of Contents

In the world of technology, research is a compass that helps us navigate its convoluted evolutions. For instance, Information Technology (IT) research has been conducted in computer science, software engineering, data analytics, and cybersecurity.

IT research involves systematic inquiry to advance knowledge, problem-solving, and innovation. This includes conducting rigorous experiments and analyzing results to unveil new theories or approaches that improve technologies or bring breakthroughs.

Therefore, interdisciplinarity is at the core of IT research, with collaboration cutting across various disciplines. Whether using AI to reinforce cyber security or big data analytics in healthcare, collaboration leads to solutions to complex problems.

This is because IT research is changing rapidly due to technological advances. Thus, researchers need to be up-to-date to make meaningful contributions.

Ethics are involved so that technology can be responsibly deployed. The researchers grapple with privacy, security, bias, and equity issues to ensure technology benefits society.

As a result of this publication and conferences, which enable dissemination of findings, leading to further innovations, collaboration has supported progress, hence speeding it up.

Understanding IT research is vital for leveraging technology to address societal challenges and foster positive change.

Recommended Readings: “ Top 109+ Media Bias Research Topics | Full Guide! “.

Picking the Right Topic to Research: The Key to Finding New Things 

In the always-changing world of information technology, choosing the proper topic to research is like starting a smart path. It’s a big decision that sets where your hard work will go and how much your findings could mean.

Fitting with Industry Moves and Issues

Finding a research topic that fits current industry moves and big issues is important. By staying informed on the latest happenings and problems in the technology field, you can ensure your research stays useful and helps solve real-world troubles.

Growing Fresh Ideas and Practical Uses

Choosing a research topic that generates fresh ideas and practical applications is crucial. Your findings should not just add to school talks but also lead to real solutions that can be used in real situations, pushing technology forward and making work smoother.

Sparking Mind Curiosity and Excitement

Selecting a research topic that sparks your curiosity and excitement is essential. When you dive into an area that truly fascinates you, the research journey becomes more engaging, and your drive to uncover big insights is stronger.

Finding Gaps and Unexplored Areas

Finding gaps in existing knowledge or unexplored areas in the technology landscape can lead to big discoveries. Entering uncharted spaces can uncover fresh insights and meaningfully advance the field.

Considering Potential Wide Effect and Growth

Considering your research topic’s potential wide effect and growth is crucial. Will your findings have far-reaching effects across industries? Can your solutions grow and shift to address changing challenges? Evaluating these things can help you prioritize research areas with the greatest potential for big impact.

By carefully choosing the right research topic, you can open the door to discoveries, push technology forward, and contribute to the constant evolution of the technology information landscape.

Top 400 Information Technology Research Topics

The list of the top 400 information technology research topics is organized into different categories. Let’s examine it. 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML)

• Easy AI: Explaining and Using
• Group Learning: Getting Better Together
• AI in Health: Diagnosing and Helping
• Robots Learning on Their Own
• Being Fair with Computers
• Talking to Computers in Normal Language
• AI Fighting Bad Guys on the Internet
• AI Driving Cars: How Safe Is It?
• Sharing What We’ve Learned with Other Machines
• AI in Schools: Computers Learning About You

Cybersecurity and Encryption

• Trusting Computers: How to Stay Safe
• Keeping Secrets Safe with Fancy Math
• Secret Codes Computers Use: Safe or Not?
• Spy Games: Watching Out for Bad Stuff
• Keeping Secrets, Even from Friends
• Your Body as Your Password: Is It Safe?
• Fighting Against Computer Ransomers
• Keeping Your Secrets Secret, Even When Sharing
• Making Sure Your Smart Stuff Isn’t Spying on You
• Insuring Against Computer Bad Luck

Data Science and Big Data

• Sharing Secrets: How to Be Safe
• Watching the World in Real-Time
• Big Data: Big Computers Handling Big Jobs
• Making Data Pretty to Look At
• Cleaning Up Messy Data
• Predicting the Future with Numbers
• Finding Patterns in Connected Dots
• Keeping Your Secrets Safe in Big Data
• Sharing Our Secrets Without Telling Anyone
• Helping the Planet with Numbers

Cloud Computing

• Computers Without a Home: Where Do They Live?
• Keeping Computers Close to Home
• Moving Our Stuff to New Homes
• Juggling Many Clouds at Once
• Making Computers That Live in the Cloud
• Keeping Clouds Safe from Bad Guys
• Keeping Clouds Safe from Sneaky Spies
• Making Sure Clouds Do What They’re Supposed To
• Computers Need Energy Too!
• Making the Internet of Things Even Smarter

Internet of Things (IoT)

• Smart Stuff Everywhere: How Does It Work?
• Watching Out for Bad Stuff in Smart Things
• Smart Stuff: Is It Safe?
• Taking Care of Smart Toys
• Making Smart Things That Don’t Need Batteries
• Making Smart Factories Even Smarter
• Smart Cities: Making Cities Better Places to Live
• Your Clothes Can Be Smart, Too!
• Helping Farmers with Smart Farming
• Keeping Secrets Safe in Smart Stuff

Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)

• Magic Glasses: How Do They Work?
• Making Computers Easy to Use
• Making Computers for Everyone
• Talking to Computers with Your Hands
• Making Sure Computers Are Nice to People
• Talking to Computers with Your Voice
• Playing with Computers, You Can Touch
• Trusting Computers to Drive for Us
• Computers That Understand Different People
• Making Computers That Read Our Minds

Software Engineering

• Making Computers Work Together Smoothly
• Building Computers from Tiny Pieces
• Playing Games to Make Computers Better
• Making Sure Computers Work Right
• Making Old Computers New Again
• Making Computers Like to Exercise
• Making Computers Easier to Understand
• Building Computers with Blueprints
• Making Sure Computers Don’t Get Sick
• Sharing Computer Secrets with Everyone

Mobile Computing

• Keeping Phones Safe from Bad Guys
• Making Apps for Every Kind of Phone
• Keeping Phones Safe in the Cloud
• Finding Your Way with Your Phone
• Paying with Your Phone: Safe or Not?
• Checking Your Health with Your Phone
• Seeing the World Through Your Phone
• Wearing Your Phone on Your Wrist
• Learning on the Go with Your Phone
• Making Phones Even Smarter with Clouds

Networking and Communications

• Making Sure Computers Can Talk to Each Other
• Making Computers Work Together Without Wires
• Making the Internet Faster for Everyone
• Getting More Internet Addresses for More Computers
• Cutting the Internet into Pieces
• Making the Internet Even More Invisible
• Talking to Computers with Light
• Making Sure Tiny Computers Talk to Each Other
• Sending Messages Even When It’s Hard
• Making the Radio Smarter for Computers

Bioinformatics and Computational Biology

• Reading Your DNA with Computers
• Making Medicine Just for You
• Meeting the Microscopic World with Computers
• Building Computer Models of Living Things
• Finding New Medicine with Computers
• Building Computer Models of Tiny Machines
• Making Family Trees for Living Things
• Counting Germs with Computers
• Making Big Lists of Living Things
• Making Computers Think Like Brains

Quantum Computing

• Making Computers Better at Some Math Problems
• Keeping Computers Safe from Small Mistakes
• Making Computers Even Harder to Spy On
• Making Computers Learn Faster with Quantum Tricks
• Making Fake Worlds for Computers to Explore
• Building Computers from Super-Cold Stuff
• Making Computers Cold to Think Better
• Making Computers Think Like Chemists
• Making the Internet Even Safer with Computers
• Showing Off What Computers Can Do Best

Green Computing

• Saving Energy with Computers
• Using Wind and Sun to Power Computers
• Making Phones Last Longer Without Plugging In
• Making Computers Kinder to the Planet
• Recycling Old Computers to Save the Earth
• Computers That Care About Their Trash
• Saving Energy in Big Rooms Full of Computers
• Making Computers Save Energy and Work Faster
• Counting the Trash from Computers
• Making Computers Kinder to the Planet’s Air

Information Systems

• Making Computers Work Together in Big Companies
• Making Computers Remember Their Friends
• Making Computers Share What They Know
• Making Computers Smart About Money
• Making Computers Send Presents to Their Friends
• Helping Computers Make Big Decisions
• Making Government Computers Talk to Each Other
• Making Computers Count Likes and Shares
• Assisting computers to Find What You Asked For
• Assisting companies to Keep Their Friends Happy

Semantic Web and Linked Data

• Making Computers Understand Each Other Better
• Making Computers Talk About Themselves
• Making the Internet More Friendly for Computers
• Helping Computers Find What They Need
• Making Computers Smarter by Talking to Each Other
• Making Computers Friends with Different Languages
• Making Computers Understand Different Ideas
• Making Computers Think Like Us
• Making Computers Smarter About Old Stuff
• Making Computers Share Their Secrets Safely

Social Computing and Online Communities

• Making Friends on the Internet
• Getting Good Suggestions from the Internet
• Making Computers Work Together to Solve Problems
• Learning from Your Friends on the Internet
• Stopping Fake News on the Internet
• Knowing How People Feel on the Internet
• Helping Each Other on the Internet During Emergencies
• Making Sure Computers Are Nice to Everyone
• Keeping Secrets on the Internet
• Making the Internet a Better Place for Everyone

Game Development and Virtual Worlds

• Making Games That Play Fair
• Letting Computers Make Their Fun
• Making Fake Worlds for Fun
• Learning with Games
• Making the Rules for Fun
• Watching How People Play Together
• Seeing Things That Aren’t There
• Letting Lots of People Play Together
• Making the Engines for Fun
• Playing Games to Learn

E-Learning and Educational Technology

• Making Learning Easy for Everyone
• Taking Classes on the Internet
• Learning from Your Computer’s Teacher
• Learning from What Computers Know
• Learning Anywhere with Your Computer
• Making Learning Fun with Games
• Learning Without a Real Lab
• Learning with Free Stuff on the Internet
• Mixing School with Your Computer
• Making School More Fun with Your Computer

Digital Forensics and Incident Response

• Solving Computer Mysteries
• Looking for Clues in Computers
• Finding Bad Guys on the Internet
• Looking for Clues on Phones and Tablets
• Hiding Clues on Computers
• Helping When Computers Get Sick
• Solving Mysteries While the Computer Is On
• Finding Clues on Your Smart Watch
• Finding Tools for Finding Clues
• Following the Rules When Solving Mysteries

Wearable Technology and Smart Devices

• Keeping Healthy with Smart Watches
• Making Clothes That Talk to Computers
• Listening to the Earth with Your Shirt
• Wearing Glasses That Show Cool Stuff
• Making Your Home Smarter with Your Phone
• Using Your Body to Unlock Your Phone
• Helping People Move with Special Shoes
• Assisting people to See with Special Glasses
• Making Your Clothes Do More Than Keep You Warm
• Keeping Secrets Safe on Your Smart Stuff

Robotics and Automation

• Making Friends with Robots
• Letting Robots Do the Hard Work
• Robots That Work Together Like Ants
• Learning Tricks from People
• Robots That Feel Like Jelly
• Helping Doctors and Nurses with Robots
• Robots That Help Farmers Grow Food
• Making Cars Without People
• Teaching Robots to Recognize Things
• Robots That Learn from Animals

Health Informatics

• Computers That Help Doctors Keep Track of Patients
• Sharing Secrets About Your Health with Other Computers
• Seeing the Doctor on Your Computer
• Keeping Track of Your Health with Your Phone
• Making Medicine Better with Computers
• Keeping Your Health Secrets Safe with Computers
• Learning About Health with Computers
• Keeping Health Secrets Safe on the Internet
• Watching Out for Germs with Computers
• Making Sure the Doctor’s Computer Plays Nice

Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

• Watching the World Change with Computers
• Making Maps on the Internet
• Seeing the World from Very Far Away
• Finding Hidden Patterns with Computers
• Making Cities Better with Computers
• Keeping Track of the Earth with Computers
• Keeping Track of Wild Animals with Computers
• Making Maps with Everyone’s Help
• Seeing the World in 3D
• Finding Things on the Map with Your Phone

Knowledge Management

• Helping Computers Remember Things
• Making Computers Talk About What They Know
• Finding Secrets in Big Piles of Data
• Helping Companies Remember What They Know
• Sharing Secrets with Computers at Work
• Making Computers Learn from Each Other
• Making Computers Talk About Their Friends
• Making Companies Remember Their Secrets
• Keeping Track of What Companies Know

Computational Linguistics and Natural Language Processing (NLP)

• Finding Out How People Feel on the Internet
• Finding Names and Places in Stories
• Making Computers Talk to Each Other
• Making Computers Answer Questions
• Making Summaries for Busy People
• Making Computers Understand Stories
• Making Computers Understand Pictures and Sounds
• Making Computers Learn New Words
• Making Computers Remember What They Read
• Making Sure Computers Aren’t Mean to Anyone

Information Retrieval and Search Engines

• Finding Stuff on the Internet
• Getting Suggestions from the Internet
• Finding Stuff at Work
• Helping Computers Find Stuff Faster
• Making Computers Understand What You Want
• Finding Stuff on Your Phone
• Finding Stuff When You’re Moving
• Finding Stuff Near Where You Are
• Making Sure Computers Look Everywhere for What You Want

Computer Vision

• Finding Stuff in Pictures
• Cutting Up Pictures
• Watching Videos for Fun
• Learning from Lots of Pictures
• Making Pictures with Computers
• Finding Stuff That Looks Like Other Stuff
• Finding Secrets in Medical Pictures
• Finding Out If Pictures Are Real
• Looking at People’s Faces to Know Them

Quantum Information Science

• Making Computers Learn Faster with Tricks

Social Robotics

• Robots That Help People Who Have Trouble Talking
• Robots That Teach People New Things
• Making Robots Work with People
• Helping Kids Learn with Robots
• Making Sure Robots Aren’t Mean to Anyone
• Making Robots Understand How People Feel
• Making Friends with Robots from Different Places
• Making Sure Robots Respect Different Cultures
• Helping Robots Learn How to Be Nice

Cloud Robotics

• Making Robots Work Together from Far Away
• Making Robots Share Their Toys
• Making Robots Do Hard Jobs in Different Places
• Making Robots Save Energy
• Making Robots Play Together Nicely
• Making Robots Practice Being Together
• Making Sure Robots Play Fair
• Making Robots Follow the Rules

Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS)

• Making Robots Work Together with Other Things
• Keeping Robots Safe from Small Mistakes
• Keeping Factories Safe from Bad Guys
• Making Sure Robots Respect Different People
• Making Sure Robots Work Well with People
• Keeping Robots Safe from Bad Guys
• Making Sure Robots Follow the Rules

Biomedical Imaging

• Taking Pictures of Inside You with Computers
• Seeing Inside You with Computers
• Cutting Up Pictures of Inside You
• Finding Problems Inside You with Computers
• Cutting Up Pictures and Putting Them Together
• Counting Inside You with Pictures
• Making Pictures to Help Doctors
• Making Lists from Pictures Inside You
• Making Sure Pictures of You Are Safe

Remote Sensing

• Watching Earth from Far Away with Computers
• Making Pictures of Earth Change
• Taking Pictures from Very High Up
• Watching Crops Grow with Computers
• Watching Cities Grow with Computers
• Watching Earth Change with Computers
• Watching Earth from Far Away During Emergencies
• Making Computers Work Together to See Earth
• Putting Pictures of Earth Together
• Making Sure Pictures of Earth Are Safe

Cloud Gaming

• Playing Games from Far Away
• Making Games Work Faster from Far Away
• Keeping Games Safe from Bad Guys
• Making Sure Everyone Can Play Together
• Making Games Faster from Far Away
• Watching People Play Games from Far Away
• Making Sure Games Look Good from Far Away
• Watching Games Get More Popular

Augmented Reality (AR)

• Making Glasses That Show Cool Stuff
• Making Cool Stuff for Glasses to Show
• Watching Glasses Follow You
• Watching Phones Show Cool Stuff
• Making Cool Stuff to Show with Phones
• Making Places Even Better with Phones
• Making Factories Even Better with Glasses
• Making Places Even Better with Glasses
• Making Sure Glasses Don’t Scare Anyone

Virtual Reality (VR)

• Making Glasses That Show Different Worlds
• Making Glasses That Follow Your Hands
• Making Therapy Fun with Glasses
• Making Learning Fun with Glasses
• Making Glasses That Make Jobs Safer
• Making Glasses That Show Your Friends
• Making Sure Glasses Are Friendly
• Making Glasses That Make Buildings Better
• Making Sure Glasses Aren’t Scary

Digital Twins

• Making Computers That Copy the Real World
• Making People Better with Computers
• Making Flying Safer with Computers
• Making Cars Safer with Computers
• Making Energy Better with Computers
• Making Buildings Better with Computers
• Making Cities Safer with Computers
• Making Sure Computers Copy the Real World Safely
• Making Computers Follow the Rules

Edge Computing

• Making Computers Work Faster Near You
• Keeping Computers Safe Near You
• Making Computers Work with Far-Away Computers
• Making Computers Work Fast with You
• Making Computers Work Together Near You
• Making Phones Work Faster Near You
• Making Computers Work Near You
• Making Computers Work in Busy Places

Explainable AI (XAI)

• Making Computers Explain What They Do
• Making Medicine Safer with Computers
• Making Money Safer with Computers
• Making Computers Safe to Drive Cars
• Making Computers Fair to Everyone
• Making Computers Explain What They Think
• Making Computers Easy to Understand

Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT)

• Making Secret Codes Computers Use
• Making Contracts Computers Can Understand
• Making Computers Share Secrets Safely
• Making Money Safe with Computers
• Making Computers Work Together Nicely
• Making Computers Keep Secrets Safe
• Making Computers Work Together Fairly
• Making Stuff Move Safely with Computers

Quantum Communication

• Making Computers Talk to Each Other Safely
• Making Computers Talk to Each Other from Far Away
• Making Computers Talk to Each Other in Secret
• Making Money Move Safely with Computers

This list covers a broad spectrum of topics within Information Technology, ranging from foundational concepts to cutting-edge research areas. Feel free to choose any topic that aligns with your interests and expertise for further exploration and study!

Emerging Trends in Information Technology Research

In the rapidly changing world of Computer Studies, keeping up with the latest trends is indispensable. Technology keeps changing, and so does research in computer studies. From awesome things like clever robots to how we can safeguard our online information, computer studies research is always discovering new ways to improve our lives. Therefore, let us delve into some of the most exciting new trends shaping computer studies’ future.

• Smart Computers:

Right now, smart computers are a hot item. They can learn from experience, recognize patterns, and even understand language like humans do. This helps in many areas, such as healthcare or finance. So researchers are working on making smart computers smarter yet so that they can make decisions alone and be fair to everyone.

• Fast Computing:

As more devices connect to the Internet, we need ways to process information quickly. Fast computing helps bring processing power closer to where the information comes from, making things quicker and more efficient. Thus, researchers have been figuring out how to improve fast computing, especially for analyzing real-time data.

• Keeping Things Safe:

With all the cool tech around, keeping our information safe from bad guys is important. We must develop methods to safeguard our data and networks from cyber attackers. In addition, they have also been considering how to ensure the privacy of our personal information so that only authorized individuals can access it.

• Fancy Computers:

The next big thing in computing is quantum computers. They can do calculations at a high speed that ordinary ones cannot. Researchers are working hard to achieve quantum computing because it could be useful in cracking codes and creating new drugs.

• New Ways of Doing Things Together:

Blockchain is an exciting technology that allows us to collaborate without a central authority. Its use in cryptocurrencies is quite popular but it has other applications too. Blockchain can be applied for purposes such as helping us discover where products come from, proving who we are on the internet, and making contracts that cannot be changed later on.

• Virtual Reality Adventures:

Entering a completely different world is what Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) do. The feeling of being in reality is what these two technologies create, which is not real. These researchers are working hard on making VRs and ARs better so that they can be used for learning, training, and amusement in more innovative ways.

In summary, computer studies research keeps changing with new trends such as smart computers, rapid computing, cybersecurity issues, high-end computers, collaboration platforms and immersive games or virtual reality escapades. 

By exploring these trends and developing new ideas, researchers ensure that technology keeps improving and making our lives easier and more exciting.

How can I brainstorm research topics in information technology?

Start by identifying your areas of interest and exploring recent advancements in the field. Consider consulting with mentors or peers for suggestions and feedback.

What are some ethical considerations in AI research?

Ethical considerations in AI research include fairness, transparency, accountability, and privacy. Researchers should ensure their algorithms and models do not perpetuate bias or harm individuals.

How can I stay updated on emerging trends in IT research?

Follow reputable journals, conferences, and online forums dedicated to information technology. Engage with the academic community through discussions and networking events.

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MIT Technology Review

• Newsletters

Building a data-driven health-care ecosystem

Harnessing data to improve the equity, affordability, and quality of the health care system.

• MIT Technology Review Insights archive page

In association with JPMorgan Chase

The application of AI to health-care data has promise to align the U.S. health-care system to quality care and positive health outcomes. But AI for health care hasn’t reached its full capacity.  One reason is the inconsistent quality and integrity of the data that AI depends on. The industry—hospitals, providers, insurers, and administrators—uses diverse systems. The resulting data can be difficult to share because of incompatibility, privacy regulations, and the unstructured nature of much of the data. The data can carry errors, omissions, and duplications, making it difficult to access, analyze, and use. Even the best data can cause data bias : the data used to train AI models can reinforce underrepresentation of historically marginalized populations. The growth of AI in all industries means data quality is increasingly vital.

While AI-driven innovation is still growing, the U.S. continues to spend more than twice as much as the average high-income country for its health care, while its health outcomes are falling: the latest data from the U.S. Center for Disease Control’s National Center for Health Statistics indicates U.S. life expectancy rates dropped for the second year in a row in 2021.

To spark innovation by identifying gaps and pain points in the employer-based health-care system, JPMorgan Chase launched Morgan Health in 2021. Morgan Health’s chief technology officer of corporate responsibility, Tiffany West Polk, says Morgan Health is driven to improve health outcomes, affordability, and equity, with data at its foundation. Gaining insights from large data streams means optimizing analytical platforms and ensuring data remains secure, while also HIPAA and Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) compliant, she says.

Currently, Polk says, the U.S. health-care system seems to be “quite stuck” in terms of keeping health-care quality and positive outcomes in line with rising costs.

• “If you look across the broader U.S. environment in particular, employer sponsored insurance is a huge part of the health-care net for the United States, and employers make significant financial investment to provide health benefits to their employees. It's one of the main things that people look at when they're looking across an employer landscape and thinking about who they want to work for.”

Investing in new ways to provide health care

Nearly 160 million people in the U.S. have employer-sponsored health insurance as of 2022, according to health-care policy research non-profit KFF (formerly the Kaiser Family Foundation). JPMorgan Chase launched Morgan Health because of its focus on improving employer-sponsored health care, not least for its 165,000 employees.

Morgan Health has invested $130 million in capital during the past 18-plus months in five innovative health-care companies: advanced primary care provider Vera Whole Health; health-care data analytics specialist Embold Health; Kindbody, a fertility clinic network and global family-building benefits provider; LetsGetChecked, which creates home-monitoring clinical tools; and Centivo, which provides health care plans for self-insured employers.

All of these companies offer new approaches to conventional employer-sponsored health care to deliver a higher standard of care. Morgan Health’s collaboration with these enterprises will examine how these change patient outcomes, health-care equity, and affordability, and how to scale their successes.

“Many Americans today face real barriers to receiving high-quality, affordable, and equitable health care, even with employer-sponsored insurance,” Polk says. This calls for breaking the paradigm of delivery-incentivized health care, she says, which rewards providers for delivering services, but pays insufficient attention to outcomes.  

• “We have a model today where our health-care providers are incentivized based on the number of patients they see or the number of services they perform. What that means is that they're not incentivized based on improvements, patient's health, and wellbeing. And so when you have a model that thinks volume versus value, those challenges then serve to compound the disparities that we have. And that then also means that those who have employer-sponsored insurance are also similarly challenged.”

For Morgan Health, AI and machine learning (ML) will be a key to problem-solving with health-care technology, Polk says. AI is ubiquitous across industries, and is the go-to when we think about innovation, she says, but the hype can mean we forget about the importance of data accessibility and quality.

Polk says solving this data challenge makes this an exciting and transformational time to be a chief technology officer and a technologist. The next stage of evolution in health care can’t proceed without better data, Polk says, and this is what the data and analytics team at Morgan Health are addressing.

• “[AI] has become so ubiquitous in terms of how we think about everything. And we think that it is the thing that's going to fix anything and everything in technology. And it has become so ubiquitous and so the go-to when you think about innovation, that I think that sometimes, there's this way in which people kind of forget about what AI actually is underneath the covers.”

Garnering data-based insights

To address the strength of health-care data, the industry is moving increasingly toward standard electronic health-care records (EHRs) for patients. A 2023 Deloitte study says use of EHRs and health information exchanges (HIEs) is growing rapidly, with organizations building data lakes and using AI to combine and cleanse data. These measures provide a “strong digital backbone” for building connections between hospitals, primary care centers, and payment tools, the study says, and this should help reduce errors, unnecessary readmissions, and duplicate testing.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is also building a network for digital connection in the health-care industry, to allow data to flow among multiple providers and geographies. Its Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) announced in December 2023 that its national health data exchange —the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA)—is operational. The exchange connects Quality Health Care Information Networks, which it certifies and onboards, with standard policies and technical requirements.

Polk says Morgan Health is improving foundations to incentivize better outcomes for patients. Morgan Health’s work can create standards—grounded in data—that incentivize better performance, which can then be shared across the employer-sponsored insurance network, and among broader communities. Using AI features such as metadata tagging (algorithms that can group and label data that has a common purpose), she says, “is one way health-care companies can simplify tasks and open up more time for providing care.”

• “If you do your data ingestion right, if you cleanse your data right, if you make sure that your metadata tagging is correct, and then you are very aware of the way in which your algorithms have been biased in the past, you can be aware of that so that you can make sure that your algorithms are inclusive moving forward.”

“I think the most important thing is incentivizing our health-care partners who provide for our employees to meaningfully improve health-care quality, equity, and affordability through incentivizing outcomes, not incentivizing volume, not incentivizing visits, but really incentivizing outcomes,” Polk says.

This article is for informational purposes only and it is not intended as legal, tax, financial, investment, accounting or regulatory advice. Opinions expressed herein are the personal views of the individual(s) and do not represent the views of JPMorgan Chase & Co. The accuracy of any statements, linked resources, reported findings or quotations are not the responsibility of JPMorgan Chase & Co.

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Nursing Informatics Research Topics and Titles for Nursing students

Nursing informatics research topics are a viable way to acquire evidence-based knowledge to be used in improving the quality of healthcare. As you write about different topics, you also get to solve nursing informatics-related issues, challenges, and barriers in your area of practice or given facilities.

Before we delve into the topics, let's begin by defining nursing informatics for purposes of clarity henceforth. According to the HIMSS, nursing informatics entails the integration of nursing science with multiple analytical and information sciences to define, identify, manage, and disseminate information, data, wisdom, and knowledge in nursing practice.

One must have a BSN, MSN, or certification to take up the nursing informatics roles. The nursing roles that fall under nursing informatics include nursing informaticist, nursing informatics specialist, nursing informatics clinician, chief nurse informatics officer, or perioperative informatics nurse.

115 Nursing and Healthcare Informatics Titles and Topics

• The Impact of nursing informatics on patient outcomes and patient care efficiencies
• Electronic Health Records (EHRs) and Meaningful Use
• The benefits of Electronic Case Reporting (eCR)
• Benefits of Health Information Exchange (HIE)
• Types of Health Information Exchange
• Use of Syndrome Surveillance
• Clinical Data Registry
• Cancer Registry Reporting
• How Immunization Information Systems and informatics Promote Immunizations
• Information Management in Cancer Registries
• Role of cancer registries
• Evolution of the cancer registrar in the era of Informatics
• Interoperability of patient population-based registries
• Interoperability and EHR
• Benefits of implementing Electronic Laboratory Reporting
• Eligibility and registration for public health meaningful use
• Benefits of understanding the onboarding process for EHR systems
• Rulemaking in electronic health systems
• Ethical Issues in electronic health records
• National laws governing the implementation of electronic health records
• Privacy and security issues in electronic health information
• Value of the electronic medical record for hospital care
• HITECH Act and the implementation of EHR
• Challenges facing the implementation of electronic health records
• Risks facing electronic health records
• Barriers to implementing electronic health records
• The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and implementation of health information
• Steps of implementing electronic health records in a Hospital
• How does the 21 st Century Cures Act or the Cures Act impact the implementation of electronic health records
• Role of Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) in the implementation of EHR
• Importance of clinical decision-making systems (CDSS)
• How implementing electronic healthcare can solve emergency room overcrowding
• Use of artificial intelligence in electronic health systems
• Application of predictive analytics in healthcare
• Benefits of implementing clinical image capture
• Benefits of patient portals
• Benefits of implementing telemedicine
• Benefits of Telepsychiatry for remote patients
• Decision Modeling and Natural Language Processing in Healthcare
• The use of computerized provider order entry (CPOE) by providers
• How to Become a Nursing Informatics Specialist
• Role of Nursing Informatics Educator
• Importance of nursing informatics
• The advocacy role of the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA)
• Organizations coordinating the implementation of healthcare informatics in America
• Why get the AHIMA certification
• How to Become a Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT)
• The use of Big Data and data analytics in healthcare
• How electronic health records promote evidence-based Practice
• Electronic health records and teamwork
• Hof electronic health records promote interprofessional collaboration
• Role of Leadership in healthcare systems implementation
• Measuring the use of electronic health records in primary care
• How electronic health records facilitate nursing research
• Use of electronic health records among diabetic patients
• Attitudes and readiness of healthcare workers to use electronic health records
• How Electronic Health Records influences nurse Burnout
• Physician fatigue and electronic health records
• Factors affecting the access of patients to electronic medical records
• Role of Blockchain in mental health records management
• Impacts of Emergency Department EHR on Patient care outcomes
• The usability of emergency medicine electronic health record
• Are emergency rooms too busy for electronic records?
• How EHR in emergency departments improve diagnostic accuracy
• Benefits of mHealth to patients from remote areas
• Can HER be applied for psychiatry and behavioral health?
• Telepsychiatry system providers in the USA
• How telepsychiatry improves access and Use of mental health facilities
• Barriers to integrating EHRs in the mental healthcare sector
• Requirements for Psychiatry EHR
• The use of telepsychiatry during pandemics and disasters
• The benefits of telemedicine in the context of Covid-19
• Challenges in implementing telehealth
• Telehealth for the treatment of serious mental health illnesses and substance use disorders
• The application of telepsychiatry with adolescents and children: Issues, challenges, and promises
• Telepsychiatry malpractice insurance
• Role of the American psychiatric association in the Implementation of telepsychiatry
• Factors to consider before choosing online therapy
• Role of psychiatric nurses in telehealth advocacy
• Impacts of statewide telehealth policies on implementing telepsychiatry
• Strategies to improve telehealth visits
• Impacts of CMS Expansion of Medicare on telehealth implementation
• Perceptions and attitudes of perceptions of consumers on telehealth for mental health
• How telehealth was used to meet mental health needs during the COVID-19 pandemic
• The experiences of nursing students on remote consultations during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Impacts of using online simulations on nurse students
• Laws and policies governing the implementation of telemedicine and telehealth
• Use of telehealth and Telemedicine to address opioid overdose epidemics
• Use of telemedicine to address polypharmacy
• Using patient-centered EHR to teach students
• EHR-based medication support and nurse-led medication therapy management
• Benefits of electronic health record training for nurse leaders
• Challenges and benefits of implementing electronic health records in nursing education
• Postimplementation training and EHR
• Simulation-based training for EHR in nursing education
• How to Become an HER Trainer
• Are nurses the HER superuser?
• Clinical impacts of the use of electronic health records in operation rooms
• How EHR Improves the operating room efficiency
• Impacts of implementing EHR during surgeries
• How using EHR systems can increase operation times
• How poor usability of electronic health records leads to drug errors
• Role of clinical decision support systems (CDSS) in improving patient care
• Implications of using the digitally structured format for nursing shifts
• Impacts of health information technology on patient safety
• Improving healthcare quality through the use of healthcare technologies
• Does the use of technology enhance the diagnostic outcomes of patients?
• Effectiveness of simulation-based nursing Education
• Simulation-based training and attitudes and behavior of new nurses handling complex patients
• The effectiveness of using virtual reality in Nursing Education
• Does the use of point-of-care simulation help manage acute deterioration better?
• Impacts of using clinical virtual simulation in Nursing
• Does using Shadow Health clinical simulation exercises improve nurse students' grasp of concepts?
• Can simulation replace most of the clinical hours?
• The impacts of using 3D nursing simulations for nursing students

Check out our list of nursing essay and research paper topics to select one that suits your perspective, practice area, and interests.

Final Take!

Choosing a promising technology, informatics, and electronic health topic for a nursing essay , research paper, capstone, or dissertation can be challenging. As a result, you can be confused and uncertain. However, the 115 Nursing informatics topics list can help you navigate the process and brainstorm ideas to improve your nursing papers' titles.

Related Readings:

• A list of common nursing theories
• Excellent nursing capstone project ideas and topics.
• Review of WGU RN to BSN Program.
• Nursing paper topics to write papers about
• Steps for nursing care planning
• How to write a perfect capstone project.

If you have highlighted some topics off this list, you should consult with your nurse educator, teacher, professor, or dissertation supervisor. You can then get ideas on how to approach the topic. You can also tailor the topic to the needs of your course.

Good luck as you choose. If you need help choosing the topics, order a one-page paper from our website, and our nursing writers will research 3-4 of the best topics with a few sentences of explanation on the potential focus.

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Optimizing electronic health records: Study reveals improvements in departmental productivity

by Marshall University

In a study published in the Annals of Family Medicine , researchers at the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine identify transformative effects of electronic health record (EHR) optimization on departmental productivity. With the universal implementation of EHR systems, the study sheds light on the importance of collaborative efforts between clinicians and information technology (IT) experts in maximizing the potential of these digital tools.

The study, led by a team of health care professionals in a family medicine department, embarked on a department-wide EHR optimization initiative in collaboration with IT specialists over a four-month period. Unlike previous efforts that primarily focused on institutional-level successes, this study delved deep into the intricacies of EHR interface development and its impact on clinical workflow.

"There has been a longstanding disconnect between EHR developers and end-users, resulting in interfaces that often fail to capture the intricacies of clinical workflows," said Adam M. Franks, M.D., interim chair of family and community health at the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine and lead researcher on the study. "Our study aimed to bridge this gap and demonstrate the tangible benefits of collaborative optimization efforts."

The methodology involved an intensive quality improvement process engaging clinicians and clinical staff at all levels. Four categories of optimizations emerged: accommodations (adjustments made by the department to fit EHR workflows); creations (novel workflows developed by IT); discoveries (previously unnoticed workflows within the EHR); and modifications (changes made by IT to existing workflows).

Key findings from the study showed significant improvements in productivity: The optimization efforts led to remarkable enhancements in departmental productivity. Monthly charges increased from 0.74 to 1.28, while payments surged from 0.83 to 1.58. Although monthly visit ratios also increased from 0.65 to 0.98, the change was not statistically significant.

The study also revealed that a significant number of solutions to EHR usability issues were already embedded within the system, emphasizing the need for thorough exploration and understanding of existing workflows.

Finally, accommodation optimizations underscored the necessity for better collaboration between EHR developers and end-users before implementation, highlighting the potential for more user-centric design approaches.

"Our study not only demonstrates the efficacy of departmental collaboration with IT for EHR optimization but also underscores the importance of detailed workflow analysis in enhancing productivity," Franks said.

The research provides valuable insights for health care institutions aiming to maximize the potential of their EHR systems, with implications for improving patient care, efficiency and overall organizational performance.

In addition to Franks, co-authors on the study included Charles Clements, M.D., Tammy Bannister, M.D., Adrienne Mays-Kingston, M.D., Ashley Beaty, MSN, RN-BC, Alperen Korkmaz, M.Ed., John A. Parker, M.D., and Stephen M. Petrany, M.D.

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450+ Technology Research Topics & Ideas for Your Paper

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Technology is like a massive puzzle where each piece connects to form the big picture of our modern lives. Be it a classroom, office, or a hospital, technology has drastically changed the way we communicate and do business. But to truly understand its role, we need to explore different technology research topics.

And that's where this blog will be handy! Powered by solid experience, our professional term paper writers gathered multiple technology research paper topics in literally any direction. Whether you're a student looking for an intriguing subject for your project or just a tech enthusiast trying to broaden your understanding, we've got your back. Dive into this collection of tech topics and see how technological progress is shaping our world.

What Are Technology Topics?

Technology is the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes. It's the smartphone in your hand, the electric car on your street, and the spacecraft exploring Mars. It might also be the code that protects your online privacy and the microscope that uncovers mysteries of the human cell.

Technology permeates our lives, revolutionizing the way we communicate, learn, work, and play. But, beyond the gadgets and gizmos, there's a world of diverse technology research topics, ideas, concepts, and challenges.

Technology topics zoom in on these ideas, peeling back the layers of the tech universe. As a researcher, you might study how AI is changing healthcare, explore the ethical implications of robotics, or investigate the latest innovations in renewable energy. Your project should probe into the 'how,' the 'why,' and the 'what next' of the technology that is reshaping our world. So, whether you're dissecting the impact of EdTech on traditional learning or predicting the future of space exploration, research topics in technology are limitless.

Branches of Technology Research Paper Topics

Undoubtedly, the reach of technology is extensive. It's woven its way into almost every corner of our lives. Before we move to technological research topics, let’s first see just where technology has left its mark. So, here are some areas where technology is really shaking things up:

• Government services: E-governance, digital IDs, and digital voting are just a few examples of technology's application in government services.
• Finance: Fintech innovations include cryptocurrencies, mobile banking, robo-advising, and contactless payments.
• Education: Technology is used in a wide variety of educational contexts, from e-learning platforms and digital textbooks to educational games and virtual classrooms.
• Communication: Social media, video conferencing, instant messaging, and email are all examples of tech's role in communication.
• Healthcare: From electronic medical records and telemedicine to advanced imaging technology and robotic surgery, technology is surely transforming healthcare.
• Agriculture: Technological advancements are revolutionizing agriculture through precision farming, automated machinery, drones, and genetic engineering.
• Retail: It also influences retail through e-commerce, mobile payments, virtual fitting rooms, and personalized shopping experiences.
• Environment: Tech is used in climate modeling, conservation efforts, renewable energy, and pollution control.

These are far from all sectors where technology can be applied. But this list shows how diverse topics in technology can be.

How to Choose a Technology Research Topic?

Before you select any idea, it’s important to understand what a good technology research topic is. In a nutshell, a decent topic should be interesting, relevant, and feasible to research within your available resources and time. Make sure it’s specific enough, but not to narrow so you can find enough credible resources. 

Your technology topic sets the course of your research. It influences the type and amount of information you'll search for, the methods you'll use to find it, and the way you'll interpret it. Ultimately, the right topic can make your research process not only more manageable but also more meaningful. But how to get started, you may ask. Don’t worry! Below we are going to share valuable tips from our thesis writers on how to choose a worthy topic about technology.

• Make research Study the latest trends and explore relevant technology news. Your task is to come up with something unique that’s not been done before. Try to look for inspiration in existing literature, scientific articles, or in past projects.
• Recognize your interests Start with what you are genuinely curious about in the field of technology. Passion can be a great motivator during the research process.
• Consider the scope You want a topic that is neither too broad nor too narrow. It should provide enough material to explore without being overwhelming.
• Check availability of resources Ensure there are sufficient trustworthy resources available for your chosen topic.
• Evaluate the relevance Your technology research idea should be pertinent to your field of study and resonate with current trends. This can make your research more valuable and engaging for your audience.

Top List of Technology Research Topics

Are you looking for the best research topics about technology? Stop by! Here, we’ve carefully collected the topic ideas to ignite your curiosity and support your research. Each topic offers various data sources, allowing you to construct well-supported arguments. So, let's discover these fascinating subjects together!

• AI's influence on healthcare.
• Challenges of cybersecurity in a connected world.
• Role of drones in modern agriculture.
• Could renewable energy replace fossil fuels?
• Impact of virtual reality on education.
• Blockchain's potential beyond cryptocurrencies.
• Ethical considerations in biotechnology.
• Can smart cities enhance quality of life?
• Autonomous vehicles – opportunities and threats.
• Robotics in manufacturing.
• Is big data changing decision-making processes?
• E-waste : Challenges and solutions.
• Role of IoT in smart homes.
• Implications of 5G technology.
• EdTech: A revolution in learning?

Good Technology Research Topics

Ready for another batch of inspiration? Get ready to discover great technology topics for a research paper across various disciplines. These ideas are designed to stimulate your creativity and provide substantial information for your research. So, let's explore these exciting themes together!

• Impact of nanotechnology on medicine.
• Harnessing quantum computing potential.
• Augmented reality in tourism.
• Can bioinformatics revolutionize disease prediction?
• Sustainability in tech product design.
• Darknet : A hidden side of the internet.
• How does technology influence human behavior?
• Assistive technology in special education.
• Are smart textiles transforming the fashion industry?
• Role of GIS in urban planning.
• Space tourism: A reality or fantasy?
• Potential of digital twins in engineering.
• How is telemedicine shaping healthcare delivery?
• Green IT : Addressing environmental issues.
• Impact of machine learning on finance.

Interesting Technology Research Paper Topics

For those craving intriguing angles and fresh ideas, we present these interesting topics in technology. This collection is filled with thought-provoking subjects that cover the lesser-known areas of technology. Each topic is concise, clear, and ready to spark a fascinating research journey!

• Cyber-physical systems in industry 4.0.
• Social implications of deepfake technology.
• Can gamification enhance learning outcomes?
• Neuromorphic computing: Emulating the human brain.
• Li-Fi : Light-based communication technology.
• Health risks of prolonged screen time.
• Quantum cryptography and secure communication.
• Role of technology in sustainable agriculture.
• Can we predict earthquakes with AI?
• Virtual influencers: A new trend in marketing.
• Tech solutions for wildlife conservation.
• Role of 3D printing in organ transplantation.
• Impact of automation on the job market.
• Cloud gaming: A new era in the gaming industry.
• Genomic editing: Possibilities and ethical concerns.

New Technology Research Topics

Understanding the fast-paced world of technology requires us to keep up with the latest developments. Hence, we bring you burning  technology research paper topics. These ideas reflect the most recent trends and advances in technology, offering fresh perspectives for your research. Let's take a look at these compelling subjects!

• Potential of hyper automation in business processes.
• How is AI changing digital marketing?
• Brain-computer interfaces: The future of communication?
• Quantum supremacy : Fact or fiction?
• 5D data storage: Revolutionizing data preservation.
• Rise of voice technology in consumer applications.
• Using AI for mental health treatment.
• Implications of edge computing for IoT devices.
• Personalized learning with AI in education.
• Role of technology in reducing food waste.
• Digital twin technology in urban development.
• Impact of AI on patent law.
• Cybersecurity in the era of quantum computing.
• Role of VR in disaster management training.
• AI in talent recruitment: Pros and cons.

Unique Technology Research Topics

For those wanting to stand out with truly original research, we offer 100% authentic topics about technology. We understand that professors highly value unique perspectives. Below we've meticulously selected these technology paper topics to offer you something different. These are not your everyday technology subjects but rather unexpected gems ready to be explored.

• Digital ethics in AI application.
• Role of technology in countering climate change.
• Is there a digital divide in developing countries?
• Role of drones in disaster management.
• Quantum internet: Possibilities and challenges.
• Digital forensic techniques in cybersecurity.
• Impact of technology on traditional art forms.
• Biohacking: Can we really upgrade ourselves?
• Technology and privacy: An inevitable trade-off?
• Developing empathy through virtual reality.
• AI and creativity: Can machines be artists?
• Technology's impact on urban gardening.
• Role of technology in accessible tourism.
• Quantum biology: A frontier of science.
• Unmanned underwater vehicles: Opportunities and threats.

Informative Research Topics in Technology

If you are seeking comprehensive information on technologies, this selection will definitely provide you with insights. As you may know, every study should be backed up by credible sources. Technology topics for research papers below are very easy to investigate, so you will surely find a bunch of academic resources.

• Exploring  adaptive learning systems in online education.
• Role of technology in modern archaeology.
• Impact of immersive technology on journalism.
• The rise of telehealth services.
• Green data centers: A sustainable solution?
• Cybersecurity in mobile banking.
• 3D bioprinting : A revolution in healthcare?
• How technology affects sleep quality.
• AI in music production: A new era?
• Technology's role in preserving endangered languages.
• Smart grids for sustainable energy use.
• The future of privacy in a digital world.
• Can technology enhance sports performance?
• Role of AR in interior design.
• How technology is transforming public libraries.

Controversial Research Topics on Technology

Technological field touches upon areas where technology, ethics, and society intersect and often disagree. This has sparked debates and, sometimes, conspiracy theories, primarily because of the profound implications technologies have for our future. Take a look at these ideas, if you are up to a more controversial research topic about technology:

• Facial recognition technology: Invasion of privacy?
• Tech addiction: Myth or reality?
• The ethics of AI in warfare.
• Should social media platforms censor content?
• Are cryptocurrencies a boon or a bane?
• Is technology causing more harm than good to our health?
• The bias in machine learning algorithms.
• Genetic engineering: Playing God or advancing science?
• Will AI replace human jobs?
• Net neutrality: Freedom of internet or control?
• The risk of AI superintelligence.
• Tech companies' monopoly: Beneficial or detrimental?
• Are we heading towards a surveillance society?
• AI in law enforcement: Safeguard or threat?
• Do we rely too much on technology?

Easy Technology Research Paper Topics

Who ever thought the tech field was only for the tech-savvy? Well, it's time to dispel that myth. Here in our collection of simple technology research topics, we've curated subjects that break down complex tech concepts into manageable chunks. We believe that every student should get a chance to run a tech related project without any hurdles.

• Impact of social media on interpersonal communication.
• Smartphones: A boon or a bane?
• How technology improves accessibility for people with disabilities.
• E-learning versus traditional learning.
• Impact of technology on travel and tourism.
• Pros and cons of online shopping.
• How has technology changed entertainment?
• Technology's role in boosting productivity at work.
• Online safety: How to protect ourselves?
• Importance of digital literacy in today's world.
• How has technology influenced the music industry?
• E-books vs printed books: A tech revolution?
• Does technology promote loneliness?
• Role of technology in shaping modern communication.
• The impact of gaming on cognitive abilities.

Technology Research Topics Ideas for Students

As an experienced paper writing service online that helps students all the time, we understand that every learner has unique academic needs. With this in mind, the next section of our blog is designed to cater specifically to different academic levels. Whether you're a high school student just starting to explore technology or a doctoral candidate delving deep into a specialized topic, we've got different technology topics arranged by complexity.

Technology Research Topics for High School Students

High school students are expected to navigate complex topics, fostering critical thinking and promoting in-depth exploration. The proposed research paper topics on technology will help students understand how tech advancements shape various sectors of society and influence human life.

• How have smartphones changed our communication?
• Does virtual reality in museums enhance visitor experience?
• Understanding privacy issues in social media.
• How has technology changed the way we listen to music?
• Role of technology in promoting fitness and healthy lifestyle.
• Advantages and disadvantages of online learning.
• Does excessive screen time affect sleep quality?
• Do video games affect academic performance?
• How do GPS systems work?
• How has technology improved animation in films?
• Pros and cons of using smart home devices.
• Are self-driving cars safe?
• Technology's role in modernizing local libraries.
• Can technology help us lead more sustainable lifestyles?
• Can technology help improve road safety for teenagers?

Technology Research Topics for College Students

Think technology research topics for college are all about rocket science? Think again! Our compilation of college-level tech research topics brings you a bunch of intriguing, conversation-stirring, and head-scratching questions. They're designed to let you sink into the world of technology while also pushing your academic boundaries. Time to dive in, explore, question, and take your own unique stance on hot-button issues.

• Biometrics in identity verification: A privacy risk?
• Impact of 5G on mobile gaming.
• Are wearable fitness devices a true reflection of health?
• Can machine learning help predict climate change effects?
• Are digital currencies disrupting traditional finance?
• Use of drones in search and rescue operations.
• Impact of e-learning on academic performance.
• Does artificial intelligence have a place in home security?
• What are the ethical issues surrounding robotic surgery?
• Are e-wallets a safer option for online transactions?
• How has technology transformed news dissemination?
• AI in language translation: How accurate can it be?
• Personalized advertising: Boon or bane for online users?
• Are smart classes making learning more interactive?
• Influence of technology on homemade crafts and DIY culture.

Technology Research Topics for University Students

Are you browsing for university technology research ideas? We've got you covered. Whether you're about to dig deep into high-tech debates, or just taking your first steps, our list of technology research questions is your treasure chest.

• Blockchain applications in ensuring academic integrity.
• Impact of quantum computing on data security.
• Are brain-computer interfaces a future communication tool?
• Does digital currency pose a threat to the global economy?
• Use of AI in predicting and managing natural disasters.
• Can biometrics replace traditional identification systems?
• Role of nanotechnology in waste management.
• Machine learning's influence on climate change modeling.
• Edge computing: Revolutionizing data processing?
• Is virtual reality in psychological therapy a viable option?
• Potential of synthetic biology in medical research.
• Quantum cryptography: An uncrackable code?
• Is space tourism achievable with current technology?
• Ethical implications of gene editing technologies.
• Artificial intelligence in governance.

Technology Research Paper Topics in Different Areas

In the next section, we've arranged a collection of technology research questions related to different areas like computer science, biotechnology, and medicine. Find an area you are interested in and look through subject-focused ideas and topics for a research paper on technology.

Technology Research Topics on Computer Science

Computer science is a field that has rapidly developed over the past decades. It deals with questions of technology's influence on society, as well as applications of cutting-edge technologies in various industries and sectors. Here are some computer science research topics on technology to get started:

• Prospects of machine learning in malware detection.
• Influence of cloud computing on business operations.
• Quantum computing: potential impacts on cryptography.
• Role of big data in personalized marketing.
• Can AI models effectively simulate human decision-making?
• Future of mobile applications: Towards augmented reality?
• Pros and cons of open source software development.
• Role of computer science in advancing virtual reality.
• Natural language processing: Transforming human-computer interaction?
• Developing secure e-commerce platforms: Challenges and solutions.
• Green computing : solutions for reducing energy consumption.
• Data mining in healthcare: An untapped opportunity?
• Understanding cyber threats in the internet of things.
• Algorithmic bias: Implications for automated decision-making.
• Role of neural networks in image recognition.

Information Technology Research Topics

Information technology is a dynamic field that involves the use of computers and software to manage and process information. It's crucial in today's digital era, influencing a range of industries from healthcare to entertainment. Here are some captivating information technology related topics:

• Impact of cloud technology on data management.
• Role of information technology in disaster management.
• Can artificial intelligence help improve data accuracy?
• Cybersecurity measures for protecting personal information.
• Evolving role of IT in healthcare administration.
• Adaptive learning systems: A revolution in education?
• E-governance : Impact on public administration.
• Role of IT in modern supply chain management.
• Bioinformatics and its role in personalized medicine.
• Is data mining an invasion of privacy?
• Can virtual reality enhance training and development programs?
• Role of IT in facilitating remote work.
• Smart devices and data security: A potential risk?
• Harnessing IT for sustainable business practices.
• How can big data support decision-making processes?

Technology Research Topics on Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence, or AI as we fondly call it, is all about creating machines that mimic human intelligence. It's shaping everything from how we drive our cars to how we manage our calendars. Want to understand the mind of a machine? Choose a topic about technology for a research paper from the list below:

• AI's role in detecting fake news.
• Chatbots in customer service: Are humans still needed?
• Algorithmic trading: AI's impact on financial markets.
• AI in agriculture: a step towards sustainable farming?
• Facial recognition systems: an AI revolution or privacy threat?
• Can AI outperform humans in creative tasks?
• Sentiment analysis in social media: how effective is AI?
• Siri, Alexa, and the future of AI.
• AI in autonomous vehicles: safety concern or necessity?
• How AI algorithms are transforming video games.
• AI's potential in predicting and mitigating natural disasters.
• Role of AI in combating cyber threats.
• Influence of AI on job recruitment and HR processes.
• Can AI help in advancing climate change research?
• Can machines make accurate diagnoses?

Technology Research Topics in Cybersecurity Command

Cybersecurity Command focuses on strengthening digital protection. Its goal is to identify vulnerabilities, and outsmart cyber threats. Ready to crack the code of the cybersecurity command? Check out these technology topics for research designed to take you through the tunnels of cyberspace:

• Cybersecurity strategies for a post-quantum world.
• Role of AI in identifying cyber threats.
• Is cybersecurity command in healthcare a matter of life and death?
• Is there any connection between cryptocurrency and cybercrime?
• Cyber warfare : The invisible battleground.
• Mitigating insider threats in cybersecurity command.
• Future of biometric authentication in cybersecurity.
• IoT security: command challenges and solutions.
• Cybersecurity and cloud technology: A secure match?
• Influence of blockchain on cybersecurity command.
• Machine learning's role in malware detection.
• Cybersecurity protocols for mobile devices.
• Ethics in cybersecurity: Hacking back and other dilemmas.
• What are some steps to recovery after a breach?
• Social engineering: Human factor in cybersecurity.

Technology Research Topics on Biotechnology

Biotechnology is an interdisciplinary field that has been gaining a lot of traction in the past few decades. It involves the application of biological principles to understand and solve various problems. The following research topic ideas for technology explore biotechnology's impact on medicine, environment, agriculture, and other sectors:

• Can GMOs solve global hunger issues?
• Understanding biotech's role in developing personalized medicine.
• Using biotech to fight antibiotic resistance.
• Pros and cons of genetically modified animals.
• Biofuels – are they really a sustainable energy solution?
• Ethical challenges in gene editing.
• Role of biotech in combating climate change.
• Can biotechnology help conserve biodiversity?
• Biotech in beauty: Revolutionizing cosmetics.
• Bioluminescence – a natural wonder or a biotech tool?
• Applications of microbial biotechnology in waste management.
• Human organ farming: Possibility or pipe dream?
• Biotech and its role in sustainable agriculture.
• Biotech advancements in creating allergy-free foods.
• Exploring the future of biotech in disease detection.

>> Read more: Biology Topics to Research

Technology Research Paper Topics on Genetic Engineering

Genetic engineering is an area of science that involves the manipulation of genes to change or enhance biological characteristics. This field has raised tremendous ethical debates while offering promising solutions in medicine and agriculture. Here are some captivating topics for a technology research paper on genetic engineering:

• Future of gene editing: Breakthrough or ethical dilemma?
• Role of CRISPR technology in combating genetic diseases.
• Pros and cons of genetically modified crops.
• Impact of genetic engineering on biodiversity.
• Can gene therapy provide a cure for cancer?
• Genetic engineering and the quest for designer babies.
• Legal aspects of genetic engineering.
• Use of genetic engineering in organ transplantation.
• Genetic modifications: Impact on human lifespan.
• Genetically engineered pets: A step too far?
• The role of genetic engineering in biofuels production.
• Ethics of genetic data privacy.
• Genetic engineering and its impact on world hunger.
• Genetically modified insects: Solution for disease control?
• Genetic engineering: A tool for biological warfare?

Reproduction Technology Research Paper Topics

Reproduction technology is all about the science that aids human procreation. It's a field teeming with innovation, from IVF advancements to genetic screening. Yet, it also stirs up ethical debates and thought-provoking technology topics to write about:

• Advances in in Vitro Fertilization (IVF) technology .
• The rise of surrogacy: Technological advancements and implications.
• Ethical considerations in sperm and egg donation.
• Genetic screening of embryos: A step forward or an ethical minefield?
• Role of technology in understanding and improving fertility.
• Artificial Wombs: Progress and prospects.
• Ethical and legal aspects of posthumous reproduction.
• Impact of reproductive technology on the LGBTQ+ community.
• The promise and challenge of stem cells in reproduction.
• Technology's role in preventing genetic diseases in unborn babies.
• Social implications of childbearing technology.
• The concept of 'designer babies': Ethical issues and future possibilities.
• Reproductive cloning: Prospects and controversies.
• Technology and the future of contraception.
• Role of AI in predicting successful IVF treatment.

Medical Technology Topics for a Research Paper

The healthcare field is undergoing massive transformations thanks to cutting-edge medical technology. From revolutionary diagnostic tools to life-saving treatments, technology is reshaping medicine as we know it. To aid your exploration of this dynamic field, we've compiled medical technology research paper topics:

• Role of AI in early disease detection.
• Impact of telemedicine on rural healthcare.
• Nanotechnology in cancer treatment: Prospects and challenges.
• Can wearable technology improve patient outcomes?
• Ethical considerations in genome sequencing.
• Augmented reality in surgical procedures.
• The rise of personalized medicine: Role of technology.
• Mental health apps: Revolution or hype?
• Technology and the future of prosthetics.
• Role of Big Data in healthcare decision making.
• Virtual reality as a tool for pain management.
• Impact of machine learning on drug discovery.
• The promise of medical drones for emergency response.
• Technology's role in combating antimicrobial resistance.
• Electronic Health Records (EHRs): Blessing or curse?

>> More ideas: Med Research Topics

Health Technology Research Topics

Health technology is driving modern healthcare to new heights. From apps that monitor vital stats to robots assisting in surgeries, technology's touch is truly transformative. Take a look at these topics related to technology applied in healthcare:

• Role of mobile apps in managing diabetes.
• Impact of health technology on patient privacy.
• Wearable tech: Fad or future of personal health monitoring?
• How can AI help in battling mental health issues?
• Role of digital tools in promoting preventive healthcare.
• Smart homes for the elderly: Boon or bane?
• Technology and its impact on health insurance.
• The effectiveness of virtual therapy sessions.
• Can health chatbots replace human doctors?
• Technology's role in fighting the obesity epidemic.
• The use of blockchain in health data management.
• Impact of technology on sleep health.
• Social media and its effect on mental health.
• Prospects of 3D printing in creating medical equipment.
• Tele-rehabilitation: An effective solution for physical therapy?

>> View more: Public Health Topics to Research

Communication Technology Research Topics

With technology at the helm, our ways of communicating are changing at an unprecedented pace. From simple text messages to immersive virtual conferences, technology has rewritten the rules of engagement. So, without further ado, let's explore these communication research ideas for technology that capture the essence of this revolution.

• AI chatbots: Re-defining customer service.
• The impact of 5G on global communication.
• Augmented Reality: The future of digital marketing?
• Is 'digital divide' hindering global communication?
• Social media's role in shaping public opinion.
• Can holographic communication become a reality?
• Influence of emojis in digital communication.
• The cybersecurity challenges in modern communication.
• Future of journalism in the digital age.
• How technology is reshaping political communication.
• The influence of streaming platforms on viewing habits.
• Privacy concerns in the age of instant messaging.
• Can technology solve the issue of language barriers?
• The rise of podcasting: A digital renaissance.
• Role of virtual reality in remote communication.

Research Topics on Technology in Transportation

Technology is the driving force behind the dramatic changes in transportation, making journeys safer, more efficient, and eco-friendly. Whether it's autonomous vehicles or the concept of Hyperloop, there are many transportation technology topics for a research paper to choose from:

• Electric vehicles: A step towards sustainable travel.
• The role of AI in traffic management.
• Pros and cons of autonomous vehicles.
• Hyperloop: An ambitious vision of the future?
• Drones in goods delivery: Efficiency vs. privacy.
• Technology's role in reducing aviation accidents.
• Challenges in implementing smart highways.
• The implications of blockchain in logistics.
• Could vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicles solve traffic problems?
• Impact of GPS technology on transportation.
• How has technology influenced public transit systems?
• Role of 5G in future transportation.
• Ethical concerns over self-driving cars.
• Technology in maritime safety: Progress and hurdles.
• The evolution of bicycle technology: From spokes to e-bikes.

Technology Research Paper Topics on Education

The intersection of technology and education is an exciting frontier with limitless possibilities. From online learning to interactive classrooms, you can explore various technology paper topics about education:

• How does e-learning affect student engagement?
• VR classrooms: A glimpse into the future?
• Can AI tutors revolutionize personalized learning?
• Digital textbooks versus traditional textbooks: A comparison.
• Gamification in education: Innovation or distraction?
• The impact of technology on special education.
• How are Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) reshaping higher education?
• The role of technology in inclusive education.
• Cybersecurity in schools: Measures and challenges.
• The potential of Augmented Reality (AR) in classroom learning.
• How is technology influencing homeschooling trends?
• Balancing technology and traditional methods in early childhood education.
• Risks and benefits of student data tracking.
• Can coding be the new literacy in the 21st century?
• The influence of social media on academic performance.

>> Learn more: Education Research Paper Topics

Relationships and Technology Research Topics

In the digital age, technology also impacts our relationships. It has become an integral part of how we communicate, meet people, and sustain our connections. Discover some thought-provoking angles with these research paper topics about technology:

• How do dating apps affect modern relationships?
• The influence of social media on interpersonal communication.
• Is technology enhancing or hindering long-distance relationships?
• The psychology behind online dating: A study.
• How do virtual reality environments impact social interaction?
• Social media friendships: Genuine or superficial?
• How does technology-mediated communication affect family dynamics?
• The impact of technology on work-life balance.
• The role of technology in sustaining long-term relationships.
• How does the 'always connected' culture influence personal boundaries?
• Cyberbullying and its effect on teenage relationships.
• Can technology predict compatibility in relationships?
• The effects of 'ghosting' in digital communication.
• How technology assists in maintaining relationships among elderly populations.
• Social media: A boon or bane for marital relationships?

Agriculture Technology Research Paper Topics

Modern agriculture is far from just tilling the soil and harvesting crops. Technology has made remarkable strides into the fields, innovating and improving agricultural processes. Take a glance at these technology research paper topic ideas:

• Can drone technology transform crop monitoring?
• Precision agriculture: Benefits and challenges.
• Aquaponics and the future of sustainable farming.
• How is artificial intelligence aiding in crop prediction?
• Impact of blockchain technology in food traceability.
• The role of IoT in smart farming.
• Vertical farming : Is it a sustainable solution for urban food supply?
• Innovations in irrigation technology for water conservation.
• Automated farming: A boon or a threat to employment in agriculture?
• How satellite imagery is improving crop disease detection.
• Biotechnology in crop improvement: Pros and cons.
• Nanotechnology in agriculture: Scope and limitations.
• Role of robotics in livestock management.
• Agricultural waste management through technology.
• Is hydroponics the future of farming?

Technological Research Topics on Environment

Our planet is facing numerous environmental challenges, and technology may hold the key to solving many of these. With innovations ranging from renewable energy sources to waste management systems, the realm of technology offers a plethora of research angles. So, if you're curious about the intersection of technology and environment, this list of research topics is for you:

• Innovations in waste management: A technology review.
• The role of AI in predicting climate change impacts.
• Renewable energy: Advancements in solar technology.
• The impact of electric vehicles on carbon emissions.
• Can smart agriculture help solve world hunger?
• Role of technology in water purification and conservation.
• The impact of IoT devices on energy consumption.
• Technology solutions for oil spills.
• Satellite technology in environmental monitoring.
• Technological advances in forest conservation.
• Green buildings: Sustainable construction technology.
• Bioengineering: A solution to soil erosion?
• Impact of nanotechnology on environmental conservation.
• Ocean clean-up initiatives: Evaluating existing technology.
• How can technology help in reducing air pollution?

>> View more: Environmental Science Research Topics

Energy & Power Technology Topics for Research Paper

Energy and power are two pivotal areas where technology is bringing unprecedented changes. You can investigate renewable energy sources or efficient power transmission. If you're excited about exploring the intricacies of energy and power advancements, here are some engaging technology topics for research papers:

• Assessing the efficiency of wind energy technologies.
• Power storage: Current and future technology.
• Solar panel technology: Recent advancements and future predictions.
• Can nuclear fusion be the answer to our energy crisis?
• Smart grid technology: A revolution in power distribution.
• Evaluating the impact of hydropower on ecosystems.
• The role of AI in optimizing power consumption.
• Biofuels vs. fossil fuels: A comparative study.
• Electric vehicle charging infrastructure: Technological challenges and solutions.
• Technology advancements in geothermal power.
• How is IoT technology helping in energy conservation?
• Harnessing wave and tidal energy: Technological possibilities.
• Role of nanotechnology in improving solar cell efficiency.
• Power transmission losses: Can technology provide a solution?
• Assessing the future of coal technology in the era of renewable energy.

Research Topics about Technology in Finance

The finance sector has seen drastic changes with the rise of technology, which has revolutionized the way financial transactions are conducted and services are offered. Consider these research topics in technology applied in the finance sector:

• Rise of cryptocurrency: An evaluation of Bitcoin's impact.
• Algorithmic trading: How does it reshape financial markets?
• Role of AI and machine learning in financial forecasting.
• Technological challenges in implementing digital banking.
• How is blockchain technology transforming financial services?
• Cybersecurity risks in online banking: Identifying solutions.
• FinTech startups: Disrupting traditional finance systems.
• Role of technology in financial inclusion.
• Assessing the impact of mobile wallets on the banking sector.
• Automation in finance: Opportunities and threats.
• Role of big data analytics in financial decision making.
• AI-based robo-advisors vs. human financial advisors.
• The future of insurance technology (InsurTech).
• Can technology solve the issue of financial fraud?
• Impact of regulatory technology (RegTech) in maintaining compliance.

>> More ideas: Finance Research Topics

War Technology Research Paper Topics

The nature of warfare has transformed significantly with the evolution of technology, shifting the battlegrounds from land, sea, and air to the realms of cyber and space. This transition opens up a range of topics to explore. Here are some research topics in the realm of war technology:

• Drones in warfare: Ethical implications.
• Cyber warfare: Assessing threats and defense strategies.
• Autonomous weapons: A boon or a curse?
• Implications of artificial intelligence in modern warfare.
• Role of technology in intelligence gathering.
• Satellite technology and its role in modern warfare.
• The future of naval warfare: Autonomous ships and submarines.
• Hypersonic weapons: Changing the dynamics of war.
• Impact of nuclear technology in warfare.
• Technology and warfare: Exploring the relationship.
• Information warfare: The role of social media.
• Space warfare: Future possibilities and implications.
• Bio-warfare: Understanding technology's role in development and prevention.
• Impact of virtual reality on military training.
• War technology and international law: A critical examination.

Food Technology Topics for Research Papers

Food technology is a field that deals with the study of food production, preservation, and safety. It involves understanding how various techniques can be applied to increase shelf life and improve nutrition value of foods. Check out our collection of food technology research paper topic ideas:

• Lab-grown meats: Sustainable solution or a mere hype?
• How AI is enhancing food safety and quality?
• Precision agriculture: Revolutionizing farming practices.
• GMOs: Assessing benefits and potential risks.
• Role of robotics in food manufacturing and packaging.
• Smart kitchens: Streamlining cooking through technology.
• Nanofood: Tiny technology, big impact.
• Sustainable food systems: Role of technology.
• Food traceability: Ensuring transparency and accountability.
• Food delivery apps: Changing the face of dining out.
• The rise of plant-based alternatives and their production technologies.
• Virtual and augmented reality in culinary experiences.
• Technology in mitigating food waste.
• Innovations in food packaging: Impact on freshness and sustainability.
• IoT in smart farming: Improving yield and reducing waste.

Entertainment Technology Topics

Entertainment technology is reinventing the ways we experience amusement. This industry is always presenting new angles for research and discussion, be it the rise of virtual reality in movies or the influence of streaming platforms on the music industry. Here's a list of unique research topics related to entertainment technology:

• Impact of virtual reality on the movie industry.
• Streaming platforms vs traditional media: A comparative study.
• Technology in music: Evolution and future prospects.
• eSports: Rise of a new form of entertainment.
• Augmented reality in theme parks.
• The transformation of theater with digital technology.
• AI and film editing: Redefining the art.
• The role of technology in the rise of independent cinema.
• Podcasts: Revolutionizing radio with technology.
• Immersive technologies in art exhibitions.
• The influence of technology on fashion shows and design.
• Livestreaming concerts: A new norm in the music industry?
• Drones in entertainment: Applications and ethics.
• Social media as an entertainment platform.
• The transformation of journalism in the era of digital entertainment.

Technology Research Questions

As we navigate the ever-changing landscape of technology, numerous intriguing questions arise. Below, we present new research questions about technology that can fuel your intellectual pursuit.

• What potential does quantum computing hold for resolving complex problems?
• How will advancements in AI impact job security across different sectors?
• In what ways can blockchain technology reform the existing financial systems?
• How is nanotechnology revolutionizing the field of medicine?
• What are the ethical implications surrounding the use of facial recognition technology?
• How will the introduction of 6G change our communication patterns?
• In what ways is green technology contributing to sustainable development?
• Can virtual reality transform the way we approach education?
• How are biometrics enhancing the security measures in today's digital world?
• How is space technology influencing our understanding of the universe?
• What role can technology play in solving the global water crisis?
• How can technology be leveraged to combat climate change effectively?
• How is technology transforming the landscape of modern agriculture?
• Can technological advancements lead to a fully renewable energy-dependent world?
• How does technology influence the dynamics of modern warfare?

Bottom Line on Research Topics in Technology

Technology is a rapidly evolving field, and there's always something new to explore. Whether you're writing for the computer sciences, information technology or food technology realm, there are endless ideas that you can research on. Pick one of these technology research paper topics and jumpstart your project.

Trust professionals to ‘ write a research paper for me !’ Our team of expert writers is ready to assist you in crafting an exceptional research paper on any topic. Just reach out, and we'll provide you with high-quality work tailored to your needs.

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What is Health Informatics?

March 20, 2024 | Healthcare | Georgia Schumacher

In modern healthcare, technology has become crucial to patient outcomes and care. Health informatics is a vital part of this technological revolution, and several of our healthcare and nursing programs include an optional or required course in this field. We even have a Master of Science in Nursing specialization and a Post Graduate Certificate in Nursing Informatic s . But what exactly is health informatics, and how does it impact healthcare workers? Let’s explore.

The Role of Health Informatics

Health informatics lies at the intersection of healthcare, information technology, and data science. It involves collecting, storing, analyzing, and managing data to improve patient care, enhance efficiency, and advance medical research. By looking at healthcare data in large quantities, we can find ways to make better decisions for patients. We can also use data-based insights and technology to improve communication and healthcare processes.

Professions that Use Health Informatics

Many healthcare workers use health informatics in their jobs. Here are a few examples.

Healthcare Administrators: Healthcare administrators use health informatics systems to manage patient records, schedule appointments, and coordinate services within healthcare facilities. They rely on electronic health records (EHRs) and other digital tools to streamline administrative tasks and workflows.

Health Information Technicians: Health information technicians maintain and organize patient information in electronic systems. They ensure the accuracy, security, and accessibility of healthcare data. These professionals are critical to protecting patient privacy and confidentiality.

Clinical Informaticists: Clinical informaticists are nurses and healthcare professionals with skills in clinical medicine and information technology. They work to add technology to clinical practice and make technology systems more usable. They also help create and implement administrative solutions and decision support tools that assist providers in delivering quality care.

Data Analysts: Data analysts study large datasets to find patterns and meaningful insights that can support clinical decision-making and healthcare policy development. For example, in public health , they may look at statistics on disease outbreaks or environmental risks and population impacts. Their work can help improve patient outcomes, lower costs, and enhance population health.

The Impact of Health Informatics

Health informatics has transformed healthcare in many ways. By harnessing the power of technology and data, healthcare organizations have found ways to:

• Use health information and decision support tools to improve patient safety and quality of care
• Automate routine tasks and streamline workflows to enhance efficiency and productivity
• Empower patients to actively participate in their healthcare by providing access to personal health records and online resources.
• Facilitate medical research and innovation by providing data-driven insights and increasing collaboration among healthcare professionals and researchers.

As we’ve shown, health informatics can help improve patient care, optimize processes, and drive positive outcomes for individuals and communities. Over time, the increased use of health informatics will be pivotal to providing better, safer, and more accessible healthcare around the globe.

Learn more about Healthcare

South University offers programs in nursing , public health , pharmacy , and a wide range of healthcare fields . Request information to speak with an Admissions Representative about your interests and goals today.

*South University does not promise or guarantee employment.

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Certification of Health IT

Health information technology advisory committee (hitac), health equity, hti-1 final rule, information blocking, interoperability, patient access to health records, clinical quality and safety, global health it efforts, health it and health information exchange basics, health it in health care settings, health it resources, laws, regulation, and policy, onc funding opportunities, onc hitech programs, privacy, security, and hipaa, scientific initiatives, standards & technology, usability and provider burden, draft 2024-2030 federal health it strategic plan.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC), released the draft 2024-2030 Federal Health IT Strategic Plan for public comment. The draft plan was developed in collaboration with more than 25 federal organizations that regulate, purchase, develop, and use health IT to help deliver care and improve patient health. 

2024-2030 Draft Federal Health IT Strategic Plan [PDF - 2.3 MB]

The draft plan defines a set of goals, objectives, and strategies the federal government will pursue to improve health experiences and outcomes for individuals, populations, and communities while also promoting opportunities for improving health equity, advancing scientific discovery and innovation, and modernizing the nation’s public health infrastructure. The draft plan also places an emphasis on addressing the policy and technology components essential for securely catering to the diverse data requirements of all health IT users. 

The final 2024-2030 strategic plan will serve as a roadmap for federal agencies and a catalyst for alignment outside the federal government. Federal organizations will be able to utilize the final plan to prioritize resources, align and coordinate efforts across agencies, signal priorities to the private sector, and benchmark and assess progress over time. 

ONC encourages review and comments on the draft plan. Please submit your comments via our feedback form . Attachments should be in Microsoft Word, Excel, PPT, or Adobe PDF format. The comment period is open for 60 days and the deadline for submission is May 28, 2024 at 11:59:59 PM ET .  

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• v.8; Jan-Dec 2022

A critical review of the role of technology and context in digital health research

Petter nielsen.

1 Department of Informatics, University of Oslo, Norway

Sundeep Sahay

Associated data.

Supplemental material, sj-docx-1-dhj-10.1177_20552076221109554 for A critical review of the role of technology and context in digital health research by Petter Nielsen and Sundeep Sahay in Digital Health

Supplemental material, sj-docx-2-dhj-10.1177_20552076221109554 for A critical review of the role of technology and context in digital health research by Petter Nielsen and Sundeep Sahay in Digital Health

Supplemental material, sj-docx-3-dhj-10.1177_20552076221109554 for A critical review of the role of technology and context in digital health research by Petter Nielsen and Sundeep Sahay in Digital Health

Digital health represents a research field dedicated to realising digital technologies’ potential and developing knowledge about their feasibility and impacts. Yet, drawing on a critical review of the articles in the most prominent multidisciplinary digital health journals, this paper argues that the digital health field has not profoundly engaged with its core subject, namely technology. The features of digital technologies remain in the background, and research is disconnected from the complexities of healthcare settings, including multiple technologies, established practices and people. Instead, the overarching focus in the digital health literature is the processing capabilities of digital technologies and their posited impacts. This paper proposes a research direction in digital health where technology and the context of use take a more prominent role. It argues that realising the potential of digital health requires intensive investigation drawing on different disciplines, grounded on understanding healthcare processes, related informational needs and the concrete features of digital technologies.

Introduction

We can understand digital health as a response to a health landscape becoming more uncertain and complex on a global scale (Benis et al. 1 ). On top of the rising threat of non-communicable diseases like diabetes and hypertension, there is an upsurge of adverse health impacts resulting from pollution, climate change, and migration. 2 Global and national health reform efforts, such as Sustainability Development Goals, Universal Health Coverage, and One Health, engage with these global challenges, including antimicrobial resistance and novel infectious diseases. These reforms come with new informational needs, requiring, amongst others, sharing of information between different stakeholders and enhanced service delivery models based on person-based care. 3 , 4 Digital technologies, such as the internet of things, smartphones, social media, and digital platforms, also lead to the generation of new and diverse forms of data, such as big data and biodata, and opportunities to do new ways of analytics, such as those based on machine learning (see, for example, L’Heureux et al. 5 ) However, while these new digital technologies create new possibilities for their users to address health concerns, they also pose inherent risks arising from the unknown nature of their impacts, such as digital inequities, 6 given the rise in the complexity to which they contribute.

With the proliferation of digital technologies in healthcare, there is an urgent need to understand their impacts. 7 The features of novel digital technologies let users do things they could not before, but they also come with their limitations. When technologies offer new possibilities, the users’ tasks and roles may change, it may introduce shifts in forms of collaboration, and the way work is organised may change. 8 , 9 To overcome the limits of technologies and unwanted organisational changes that may come with them, users may also engage in counter activities such as workarounds.

Digital technologies have three defining characteristics, making them unique and different from other technologies. 10 First, digital technologies are programmable and reprogrammable. Thus, digital technologies are not single-purpose appliances but can perform different functions, and they can be changed and repurposed. Second, the basis of digital technologies is the digital representation of data, allowing for a decoupling of data from devices. Digital data further supports connectivity, allowing the exchange of data and services between different digital components. Third, digital technologies are central to an ongoing virtuous circle of increasing access to digital devices, digital content production, and digital innovation on a global scale. The pervasiveness of digital technologies and their malleable nature facilitate innovation and accelerate further diffusion of digital technologies.

The potential impact of digital technologies is wide-ranging (see, for example, Hund et al. 11 ). First, they allow the interlinkage of devices and components across organisational borders and user groups. Second, the combination of ubiquitous Internet access, miniature sensors, large-scale computing, and powerful end-user devices can generate, process, and make vast amounts of data readily available. 12 Third digital platform architectures allow broad participation in innovation and rapid development of user apps based on a relatively stable underlying infrastructure. 13 Fourth, digital technologies enable new linkages across organisations and between people and thus potentially influence the way we collaborate and interact.

Digital technologies have already made a substantial impact in healthcare. 14 We can observe the increasing use of big data analytics, machine learning algorithms, remote monitoring, and consumer devices in health planning, preventive care and personalised treatment. At the same time, we see changes in the roles of caregivers and patients, where digital technologies are essential drivers. 15 For example, social media platforms allow for informed patients regarding their own health and possible treatments. Individuals can access their health data through apps, data commonly considered as owned by them. There is also an expectation that patients participate in their treatment actively and the patient on their side expects healthcare services to be coordinated and integrated.

The increasing complexities and uncertainties of both digital technologies and health and their interactions make the landscape of digital health a relatively uncharted territory in terms of research. In many ways, digital health is a new research area. Therefore, we need systematic research to understand better the various questions concerning how we can effectively harness the digital technology to enable improved access to healthcare services and provide informational support to engage with emerging health challenges. This paper argues that to help engage with these and related questions, the field of digital health could usefully learn from Information Systems (IS) research. Inspired by the focus on strengthening the value of digital technologies to emerging health challenges in situated contexts, the aim is to answer the following research question: How does existing digital health research conceptualise the nature of digital technologies and understand their relation to the context of use ?

This paper analyses publications from the journals engaged with interdisciplinary digital health research to explore gaps in the literature and discuss them in the light of learnings from information systems research. Two critical gaps are identified, where arguably such cross-disciplinary learning can take place: (i) how to be more explicit about digital technologies, not treating them as ‘black boxes’, to understand better how their nature influences health-related processes; and, (ii) how to be more explicit about the context to understand better the challenges in effectively implementing and using digital technologies in real-world and complex settings. The paper further discusses how information systems research has tried to address these concerns over more than three decades of research before turning to an analysis of the current digital health literature, identifying gaps and providing recommendations on how to fill them.

Learnings from information systems research

Opening the ‘black-box’ of digital technologies.

Information systems research is concerned with understanding the dynamic and complex relationship between digital technologies and processes of organisational change, viewed as deeply contingent, complex, interwoven and dynamic. While the specificity of digital technologies is now recognised as a critical contributing element in shaping this relationship, technology is often taken for granted and presumed to be unproblematic once it is built and installed, resulting in it disappearing from view. 16 This neglect leads to simple-minded, linear and deterministic accounts of how digital technologies generate (primarily positive) change, which, as research has emphatically demonstrated, is not always the case. An underlying reason for this is the fact that we are not ‘specific about technology’ 17 and do not focus on understanding in more intimate detail how digital technologies can have both restricting and enabling implications. 18

Over time, information systems research has matured and brought in novel theoretical means to conceptualise digital technology and its relation to organisational change processes and complexity. This includes actor-network theory 19 and information infrastructures (see, for example, Hanseth et al. 20 ). More recently, digital platforms and architectures have received much attention (see, for example, De Reuver et al. 21 ). This literature conceptualises platforms as a particular type of digital technology, with features of being reprogrammable, malleable and flexible, contributing to digital representations of data as combinable and re-combinable. 10 These features also enable layered architectures of different components, raising particular challenges of sharing data across these layers. This and related research have emphasised how the specific nature of digital technology shapes, enables and constrains organisational change processes by different mechanisms, which also has implications for the users and institutions involved. For example, Constantinides and Barrett 22 provide an exciting example of how a new digital tool enabled the exchange of health data between GPs and cardiologists, shaping their collaborations and allowing them to develop new and shared means for making diagnoses. In combination with ECG devices, the system rendered symptoms to the cardiologist, thus influencing the way they made diagnoses. However, the GPs considered the system too slow during emergencies because they needed to type on the computer. Such examples lead to the conclusion that digital technologies are anything but neutral, and buried deep in the ‘technical’ details are inscribed anticipations of individual, organisational and inter-organisational behaviour. 17 It thus becomes essential to understand the impact of technical features, how to use is envisioned, and how powerful digital technologies’ role is in healthcare practices. 18 These aspects of technology profoundly influence organisational processes.

Being explicit about the context of use

Context matters, as it actively shapes processes of IT design, implementation and use. 23 Failure to be specific about the context leads to building ‘one size fits all’ kind of solutions, which have historically not worked because they lead to a significant gap between those that design and those that use it. 24 Digital technologies on their own can do little unless they are linked with their context, involving multiple heterogeneous relationships, including users, practices, institutional rules, industry standards, and other technologies. The context in digital health is complex, multifaceted and interconnected, involving the disease, the patient, the health system, the informational flows and artefacts in use, and existing institutional conditions. Understanding how these conditions interact with the technology and their implications on health processes becomes an important object of research.

Information systems research has focused on understanding context and how it mutually interacts with implementations of digital technologies. Four decades ago, Kling and Scacchi 25 introduced the ‘web model’ of computing in contrast to the dominantly used ‘discrete-entity’ model, which represented a decontextualised analysis of computing. The web model saw IT as being more than just the tools deployed on the desktop or the factory floor, but as an ensemble or ‘web’ of equipment, techniques, applications, and people that define a social context, which further contributed to the conceptualisation of IT as social systems. The social context is dynamic and multi-level, representing various cultural, social, technical and cognitive forces. 23 Markus and Robey 26 presented different ways of studying the relationship between digital technologies and organisational change – as an independent variable, a dependent variable, or as an outcome of an emergent process of contextually situated change, often indeterminate and dynamically contingent. By understanding the context, we can further open the ‘black-box’ of technology and learn how and why technologies are designed and used in particular ways. 27 Understanding that no two contexts are exactly similar helps to go beyond making technology-deterministic assertions and encourages us to analyse unexpected, unintended and multiple consequences of technology. Barley 28 demonstrated this phenomenon by analysing similar CT scanner technologies used in two hospitals in Massachusetts, which produced very different outcomes. Barley's analysis depicted how different contextual conditions, particularly the relationship between doctors and radiologists, shaped the impacts of the same technology in very different ways.

Our research aim was to understand how the publications in journals focusing on digital health and drawing on multiple disciplines have considered the particular features of digital technologies and related to the context of use. Thus, a critical review 29 was conducted to synthesise the digital health literature along the dimensions of the role of technology and context. Furthermore, taking stock of the existing body of research in the emerging field of digital health, the aim was to highlight critical gaps and suggest ways to address these.

The starting point was that digital health is an emerging discipline. While a variety of journals are dedicated to applying information technology in healthcare (such as health informatics), the aim was to take stock of research contributing explicitly to establishing digital health as a discipline. Further, one assumption was that taking the nature of digital technologies and context into account and addressing the complexity of scientific challenges in digital health requires drawing on multiple disciplines. Therefore, the focus was on journals positioning themselves explicitly as digital health journals and with multiple disciplinary scopes, transcending the disciplinary borders of health, computer sciences and others.

The journal databases UlrichsWEB ( http://www.ulrichsweb.com ) and Pubmed (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/) were searched using the string ‘digital health’ and limiting the results to academic/scholarly contents. The search resulted in six unique journals, as shown in Table 1 below (sorted to show similarities and differences in the results from the two databases).

Table 1.

Search results for digital health journals.

Six journals were screened for relevance related to our purposes. PLOS Digital Health was just launched when conducting the review and thus excluded (only one article was published). Both Cardiovascular Digital Health Journal and European heart journal - Digital health are journals not focused on digital health in general but dedicated to cardiovascular and heart medicine, respectively. From the description of their scope and mission, these two journals are multiple disciplinary only to the degree that they involve different disciplines within medicine. Thus, the screening resulted in three relevant digital health journals with multiple disciplinary scopes (described in Table 2 ).

Table 2.

Multiple disciplinary scope and mission of the selected journals.

The original research articles published in the three journals Frontiers in Digital Health, Digital Health and Lancet Digital Health were reviewed. The 342 articles published from the inception of the journals and until the time of the review (July 2021) were interpretively analysed to understand how they addressed the features of digital technologies and the context. To aid the review and analysis, the review drew upon the meta-categories developed by Orlikowski and Iacono 30 to categorise research in the way it conceptualises technology, which included:

• (i)  nominal view, where there is little or no focus on the digital, or is only presented in passing more as a motivation rather than the subject of analysis;
• (ii)   computational view , which focuses only on the technical capabilities of the digital, while ignoring the interactions between the technical and social, within situated contexts;
• (iii)   proxy view , which assumes that critical aspects of the digital can be captured through specific abstract measures, such as user perceptions or investments in technology;
• (iv)   ensemble view, which recognises the features of digital technologies and the complex and dynamic context in which they inherently are enmeshed in their design and use;
• (v)   tool view assumes technology is designed to do something, and it does what it is intended to. The technology is independent of the context and treated as stable and settled ‘black boxes’.

The review categorised 342 papers based on the above framework and we classified them according to the research methods used in five broad groups: randomised control trials, computations on datasets, quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods. Based on the institutional affiliation of the authors and how they describe the role of multiple disciplines in research, we finally categorised the papers into the following four groups:

• (i)  disciplinary: author(s) in the same research discipline
• (ii)  multiple disciplines : authors from different research disciplines
• (iii)  interdisciplinary : authors from different research disciplines and explicit on disciplines working jointly in the research (identified by searching for ‘discipline’ and ‘disciplinary’ in the articles)
• (iv)   transdisciplinary : authors from different research disciplines and explicit on transcending boundaries of disciplines including health, technology and the social sciences in the research (identified by searching for ‘discipline’ and ‘disciplinary’ in the articles).

These results are presented next.

The categorisation of the original research articles ( n   =   342 ) is summarised in Table 3 .

Table 3.

Classification of the 342 articles according to the conceptualisation of digital technologies.

The tool view accounting for 40% of the articles was the most common conceptualisation. These publications see digital technologies as discrete and stable artefacts while focusing on independent variables influenced by the technology, such as productivity, information processing and social relations. The digital only appears in the background, delivering what it is intended to do independently of social and organisational arrangements. For example, Benhamou et al. 31 reported on a study of patients who received insulin via a hybrid closed-loop system, comprising a patch-pump, a glucose sensor and a hybrid closed-loop regulation algorithm in addition to remote monitoring features of patients. Benhamou et al. 31 showed that the proportion of time that the glucose concentration was within the target range was significantly higher with this solution compared to the control group using more conventional and sensor-assisted insulin pumps. This paper has a tool view by reflecting how the technology enhanced the ability of diabetic patients and their caretakers to regulate glucose concentrations. While the authors discuss the human and ethical implications of the technology, they pay scant attention to the concrete features of the technology. Further, the research did not consider what it takes to put the concrete technology into wider use. Thus, research treats digital technology by large as decontextualised and as a ‘black-box’. Such a conceptualisation restricts our ability to understand the features of the technology that made it work. How the technology can be adapted to multiple contexts with positive implications for improved glucose management and better care of diabetic patients remains an open issue.

The second-largest group, accounting for 18% of the articles, represents the nominal view , which Orlikowski and Iacono argue does not consider technology nor the context. For example, Hyppönen et al. 32 assessed possible associations of high body-mass index (BMI) with multiple disease outcomes in a hypothesis-free, data-driven phenome-wide association study (PheWAS). Based on a population of U.K. Biobank participants, they analysed data from 17 different disease categories and identified diseases possibly influenced by high BMI. The only mention and consideration of technology and context in their paper is the comment that the actual effects of the technology are complex and would vary with life stages.

The third-largest group of articles represented the proxy view , accounting for 18% of the articles. The proxy view has its basis in assuming that we can capture technology characteristics by measures such as users’ perceptions. For example, Stiles-Shields et al. 33 studied the use of smartphones for behavioural interventions for depression. They aimed to identify perceived barriers to mobile app use (the proxy), and they used card sorting tasks performed by potential end-users. The research identified several perceived barriers, including concerns about intervention efficacy, the app's functioning, the privacy of recorded data and costs. While the barriers identified and the design recommendations made may be relevant inputs to app design, they are out of context and not linked to the particularities of any technology. For example, they suggest addressing the most important identified barrier of perceived high costs of use by providing a choice of using cellular data packages or Wi-Fi. This approach is sensible but may have little if any effect on use because use happens in a context where a range of other factors will be at play.

The fourth-largest group, accounting for 14% of the articles, represents the computational view, focusing on the processing capabilities of the technology. For example, Stanitsas et al. 34 envision the augmentation of clinicians’ capabilities to describe malignant regions in breast cancer image data. While mammography is widespread in use, interpreting images based on manually segmenting data to consider whether a lesion is cancerous or not remains time-consuming. Computer-aided diagnostics has the potential to assist medical experts in doing their job more efficiently and supporting them in their most recurrent tasks, resulting in faster diagnostics. In their research, Stanitsas et al. 34 suggest the Covariance-Kernel Descriptor (CKD) and derive the Weakly Annotated Image Descriptor (WAID). They show how CKD outperforms other descriptors and how WAID outperforms other descriptors using the Breast Cancer Histopathological database (BreakHis) in terms of classification accuracy. They conclude by proposing that CKD and WAID can support medical experts to be more accurate and work faster. This represents an argument based on the computational capabilities of technology to support human activity in healthcare. The authors argue that automation of medical diagnosis is more timely, eliminates human errors, and allows medical experts to focus on treatment and patient consultations. However, the basis for the research was running new models on existing datasets and did not involve the use of the computational capabilities in the complex and dynamic context of clinical practices, interconnection with other technologies and the ethical sides of automated decisions.

The smallest group, accounting for 10% of the articles, represented the ensemble view. The research based on the ensemble view addresses the particular features of digital technologies and as embedded in a larger context. As an illustration, Martin et al. 35 evaluated the preventability and effect of health IT failures based on analysing patient safety incidents in England and Wales. They described IT failures as complex, contributed to by the interactional effects of the technology, people and the broader context. Another example is the work of Mount-Campbell et al. 36 on the value of a widely used paper-based artefact, the Kardex, for collaboration among nurses. Comparing the aspects of this ‘historical’ artefact to how existing digital solutions support nursing practices, they draw implications for digital designs.

Looking at the different journals separately, we also observe that the prevalence of the conceptualisations varies (as illustrated in Figure 1 ). For example, in Digital Health , the proxy view accounts for 29% of the papers. In the Lancet Digital Health , the tool view accounts for 70% of the papers, none of the papers is based on the proxy view, and only 1% represents the ensemble view.

Classification according to conceptualisation of the digital across the different journals.

The methods used in the papers were also captured. There was a wide variety of methods used, and we categorised them into five broad groups: randomised control trials, computations on datasets, quantitative, qualitative and mixed-methods as shown in Table 4 .

Table 4.

Classification of the 342 articles according to methods used.

The largest group accounting for 39% of the articles was based on the collection of quantitative data from databases and surveys. The second-largest group, accounting for 30% of the papers, developed new methods, algorithms and scientific knowledge based on data from existing clinical registries, databases, datasets, and population-based studies. The third-largest group accounting for 14%, was based on qualitative methods, including interviews and focus groups. The fourth largest group was a mix of the methods in the other groups accounting for 9% of the articles. Finally, the smallest group representing 8% of the articles was randomised control trials. Thus, the basis of 77% of the papers originate from outside the context of use, and through trials, computations, reviews and surveys.

Looking at the different journals separately, we also observe that the prevalence of the research methods varies (see Figure 2 ). For example, qualitative methods account for 25% of articles in Digital Health, while computations on datasets accounts for 69% of the articles in the Lancet Digital Health .

Methods used across different journals.

We finally looked at how the articles relate to multiple research disciplines. We categorised the articles according to the institutional affiliation of their authors and how the articles addressed the links and boundaries between research disciplines, as shown in Table 5 .

Table 5.

Classification of the 342 articles and how they relate to research disciplines.

Seventeen percent of the articles had authors from only one discipline, which was due to a single author in most cases. The largest group of papers, accounting for 80%, involved authors from different disciplines, such as pharmacy, nursing, various medical professions, public health, biomedical informatics, biostatistics, health informatics, orthopaedics, justice, phycology, social sciences, etc. However, only 3% of the articles explicitly described research to be interdisciplinary and as joint endeavours of different disciplines. Only one article, 37 less than 1% of the papers, showed an explicit and profound focus on researchers transcending disciplines by working together, combining different bodies of knowledge across disciplines, and working towards a common purpose.

Digital technology comes with the promise of improving healthcare services. Today’s changing, uncertain and complex health landscape is increasingly dependent on ubiquitous and interconnected digital technologies spanning practices, institutions, as well as national and international borders. However, our scientific knowledge on how to succeed in this emerging territory is by large arguably unchartered.

The first 342 original research articles published in the three interdisciplinary digital health journals Lancet Digital Health, Digital Health and Frontiers in Digital Health show little discussion on digital technologies’ features. Further, there is a general lack of focus on the context of use, raising questions about the relevance of the results for real-life settings. 90% of the articles take a proxy, tool, computational or nominal view on digital technologies emphasising their computational capabilities in controlled environments. The basis of 77% of the papers was largely decontextualised data, originating in databases, surveys, controlled and idealised population datasets or reviews of research publications (see Table 4 ). This represents a significant gap in research related to fundamental questions of how digital technologies can advance healthcare delivery in the real world. To help address this gap, this paper provides three recommendations that digital health can implement.

Advancing transdisciplinary research

From the critical review, we observe that the perspective on technology features and context and the research methods used vary significantly among the digital health journals. From this, the argument is that digital health is not one field of research or discipline but represents a broad interest in digital technologies within disciplines. Research drawing on multiple disciplines can be categorised into multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research. 38 The articles in the digital health journals reviewed stay largely multidisciplinary by bringing together different disciplines. However, the representatives of the different disciplines still work on tasks within their usual expertise areas. There is very limited research of interdisciplinary nature explicitly building links between disciplines and even less transdisciplinary research integrating technology, health and social sciences by purposefully transcending their boundaries. We need editorial policies to encourage more transdisciplinary research, as most papers are authored by medical or data science experts who favour randomised control trials or retrospective data analysis as the research method. While these studies are indeed relevant for establishing scientific feasibility in controlled settings, they do not shed much light on how these interventions can be effectively translated to real-world settings. Scientific knowledge developed in a controlled setting will be made relevant in discovering why things work when combined with other methods. 39 , 40 This requires bringing in other disciplines, including social sciences, psychology, economy, computer science and information systems. There are several areas where transdisciplinary approaches can bear fruit. For example, information systems research could explain how digital interventions can sustain and scale in real-world settings. Anthropology can help develop an intimate understanding of the relationship between healthcare workers and technology to explain whether, for whom and in which contexts particular technology is likely to be relevant.

Treating the digital as different from other technologies

One particular trait of the digital is that it is more flexible, malleable, and rapidly circulating across multiple time-space contexts than medical equipment and technologies. These digital features allow for a high degree of interpretive flexibility, implying that digital technologies are understood differently and thus produce different outcomes in varying settings. 16 Furthermore, digital technologies are typically not designed, developed, and commissioned as a one-time exercise but involve recurrent and ongoing design, redesign and update cycles in a different time, space, and use context. This requires us to focus on understanding the dynamic and evolving relationship between the digital and its use. New architectures such as platforms and apps are also on the increase, with implications on technology delivery models and forms of IT governance. There is thus the need to broaden the scope of publications beyond just testing digital technologies as any other technology and as an independent variable in a controlled environment. We should also include longitudinal research that focuses on the evolution of the technology together with processes of design, redesign, implementation, governance and use.

Paying attention to context to anticipate unintended consequences of the digital

Digital technologies can improve quality and support equity in health. However, quality from digital technologies will not come without integration with and rationalising existing systems and processes. Digital technologies can also reinforce existing inequities by adding yet another layer of digital inequity. Access, ownership, evolution and use of digital technologies are shaped by particular social, political and economic relationships, raising the possibility of digital inequities playing out in various ways in different contexts. The digital health research analysed here focused primarily on testing the feasibility of technologies in controlled settings. This research does not leave open the space to understand how the digital can have multiple consequences, including adverse ones, deviating from what was envisaged by the designers. Building such understanding requires research that focuses on examining the consequences of the digital in different contexts and from different perspectives (healthcare workers, patients, health managers, etc.). Developing our understanding of digital technologies in context can only be based on contextualised data. While the methods used in 25% of the articles in Digital Health are qualitative and well equipped to capture the context, none of the papers in Lancet uses qualitative methods. The bases of all the papers in Lancet are decontextualised data. Our recommendation is thus to encourage research to go beyond trials, computations, reviews and surveys and bring in the context with appropriate methods.

In conclusion, this paper tries to answer the question of how does existing digital health research conceptualise features of digital technology and their context of use? This question was approached by reviewing the original research papers published in multiple disciplinary digital health journals. Lancet Digital Health , Digital Health and Frontiers in Digital Health were found as exemplary, and venues where we should expect to find the state of the art research on digital health. However, based on the findings and discussion, the answer is that the papers published on digital health do not pay the required attention to the features of digital technologies, and the research is by large disconnected from the contexts of use. Motivated by learning from three decades of information systems research which has sought to address similar gaps in other domains, the hope is that the recommendations provided here can support digital health research to further the scientific and societal impacts of research to address the emerging field of digital health.

Supplemental Material

Acknowledgements.

Contributorship: PN conceived the study and reviewed the literature. PN and SS developed the manuscript and approved its final version.

Declaration of conflicting interests: The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Ethical approval: Not applicable

Funding: The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Guarantor: PN.

Informed consent: Not applicable, because this article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects.

Trial registration: Not applicable, because this article does not contain any clinical trials.

ORCID iD: Petter Nielsen https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3723-6976

Supplemental material: Supplemental material for this article is available online.

Spotlight on Health Tech for Social Good at Hack Merced IX

The ninth installment of Hack Merced recently brought together 168 innovators focused on developing technology for the greater good. The Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society (CITRIS) and the Banatao Institute at the University of California, Merced, sponsored the "Health for Social Good" track, highlighting the intersection of technology, health and nutrition.

Team Foood emerged victorious in the "Health for Social Good" track with its groundbreaking image segmentation model. This tool allows users to take a photo of a meal and obtain detailed nutritional insights.

Team Foood's members, Liam Stelly-Hawkes and Julian Balbuena, both third-year computer science and engineering majors, said they spent the first five hours reading papers and brainstorming. "It's crucial to plan before diving into coding."

Their project represents a leap forward in nutritional technology, enabling users to snap a photo of their meal and receive detailed information about the different food categories present and an estimation of portion sizes and nutrient content.

Second place went to the Diabetes Risk Assessment Model, a project demonstrating the use of neural networks to assess health risks based on user surveys. Team members Gabriel Lee, Luis Fuiarte, Ryan Milstrey and Paul Stratton showcased the application of machine learning in health diagnostics.

HackMerced IX proved to be a platform for merging technology with creative solutions to address real-world problems.

HackMerced is an annual hackathon that encourages collaboration and innovation among students, professionals and tech enthusiasts to solve real-world challenges. The event promotes creativity, collaboration and learning within the tech community.

The Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society (CITRIS) and the Banatao Institute at the University of California, Merced, stand at the forefront of technology and innovation for social good. CITRIS at UC Merced fosters interdisciplinary research and collaboration to address pressing societal issues through cutting-edge technology. By leveraging the resources and expertise of the UC system, CITRIS at UC Merced is dedicated to advancing technology solutions that make a tangible impact on society, healthcare, the environment and beyond.

Hanna Bartram Managing Director, CITRIS and the Banatao Institute at UC Merced [email protected]

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