Clinical and economic impact of digital dashboards on hospital inpatient care: a systematic review.

Abstract

Objective: Digital dashboards are used to monitor patients and improve inpatient outcomes in hospital settings. A systematic review assessed the impact of dashboards across five outcomes of hospital mortality, hospital length of stay (LOS), economic impacts, harms, and patient and carer satisfaction.

Materials and methods: Nine databases were searched from inception to May 2024. Studies were included if they reported primary quantitative research on dashboard interventions in hospital settings, were in English, and measured effectiveness for patients, caregivers, healthcare professionals or services. Data synthesis was performed via narrative review. Risk of bias was measured using Cochrane ROBINS-I and RoB 2.

Results: We identified 5755 articles, and 70 met inclusion criteria. Of 20 findings reporting mortality (16 studies), five reported a decrease, whilst the majority (n = 15) found no significant change. LOS was reported across 43 findings (31 studies), with 28 reporting a reduction, an increase in five, and ten reporting no change. Of 21 findings (from 16 studies) reporting on harms, increases were observed in six, decreases in four, and no change in 11. Economic impacts were reported in 34 findings (31 studies), with the majority demonstrating reduced costs (n = 29), an increase in one, and no change in four. Eight findings (eight studies) reported on patient and carer satisfaction with care, with the majority (n = 6) demonstrating increased satisfaction, and two reporting no change.

Discussion: Hospital dashboards do appear associated with either no change or a reduction in mortality, reduced costs, reduced LOS, and improved patient and caregiver satisfaction with care. Association with harms was equivocal.

Conclusion: While there is evidence of potential benefits, actual impacts of hospital digital dashboard will likely be dependent on multiple local factors such as workflow integration.