E-Health Decision Support Technologies in the Prevention and Management of Pressure Ulcers: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Pressure ulcers are problematic across clinical settings, negatively impacting patient morbidity and mortality while resulting in substantial costs to the healthcare system. E-health clinical decision support technologies can play a key role in improving pressure ulcer-related outcomes. This systematic review aimed to assess the impact of electronic health decision support interventions on pressure ulcer management and prevention. A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and Cochrane. Nineteen articles, published from 2010 to 2020, were included for review. The findings of this review showed promising results regarding the usability and accuracy of electronic health decision support tools to aid in pressure ulcer prevention and management. Evidence indicated improved clinician adherence to pressure ulcer prevention practices and decreased healthcare costs postimplementation of an electronic health decision support intervention. However, the studies included in this review did not consistently show reductions in pressure ulcer prevalence, incidence, or risk. Most of the articles included in the review were limited by small sample sizes drawn from single hospitals or long-term care homes. More high-quality studies are needed to determine the types of electronic health decision support tools that can drive sustainable improvements to patient outcomes.