Factors affecting patient safety in teleconsultations for health services: a scoping review protocol

This review will map the factors affecting patient safety in teleconsultations for health care services.

The use of communication technologies has gained prominence in the new paradigm of health care delivery. However, despite this expansion, patient safety during the delivery of telehealth initiatives has not been systematically mapped, particularly regarding the factors that affect safe care in teleconsultations.

This review will consider studies that investigate factors affecting patient safety in teleconsultations for health care services. Eligible studies must focus on synchronous interactions between patients and health care professionals conducted via telephone or video conferencing. This scoping review will consider quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods study designs, as well as review articles, editorials, and textual evidence pieces.

This review will be conducted in accordance with the JBI methodology for scoping reviews. The databases to be searched include PubMed, CINAHL (EBSCOhost), Scopus, ScienceDirect, LILACS Plus, and Embase (Embase.com), with librarian support during the search stage. Gray literature will be searched via Google Scholar, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global (ProQuest), and the Catalog of Theses and Dissertations of the Coordination of Higher Level Staff Improvement (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior-Brasil). Additionally, 17 official websites of prominent health care institutions will be consulted. Data extraction will be performed in pairs with consensus rounds, by a team composed of experts on the topic and methodology. Sources published in any language will be included. A descriptive analysis will be conducted to present the findings.

OSF osf.io/4f8hp.