Privacy Concerns in the Use of Instant Messaging Apps in Healthcare: a Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Medical Informatics
• Digital Health
• Healthcare Communication Technology

Background:

• Instant messaging applications are integral to daily life and increasingly used in healthcare settings.
• Their use spans work organization, education, and communication among healthcare personnel and patients.
• This highlights a growing reliance on digital tools for medical communication.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review healthcare contexts where instant messaging applications are utilized.
• To analyze privacy issues associated with handling sensitive health data on these platforms.
• To assess how these privacy concerns are addressed in current literature and practice.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines.
• Articles were analyzed to extract information on application usage contexts and privacy measures.
• Focus was on identifying common platforms and reported privacy risk mitigation strategies.

Main Results:

• The majority of studies (82.6%) utilize commercial instant messaging solutions, with WhatsApp being the most common.
• While privacy risks are acknowledged, detailed descriptions of mitigation strategies are infrequently reported.
• A consistent finding is the lack of regulatory clarity regarding practical application in healthcare.

Conclusions:

• Commercial instant messaging apps are prevalent in healthcare communication, posing significant privacy challenges.
• There is a critical gap in understanding and reporting how sensitive health data privacy is managed on these platforms.
• Clearer regulations and detailed best practices are needed to ensure secure use of instant messaging in medical contexts.