Abstract
Background While some published literature exists on the use of interactive patient care systems,
the effectiveness of these systems on the management of pain is unclear. To fill this
gap in knowledge, we aimed to understand the impact and outcomes of pain management
patient interactive systems in an inpatient setting.
Methods A systematic literature review was conducted across seven databases, and results
were independently screened by two researchers. To extract relevant data, critical
appraisal forms were developed and each paper was examined by two experts. Information
included patient interactive system category, patient population and number of participants/samples,
experiment type, and specific outcome measures.
Results Out of 58 full-text articles assessed for eligibility, 18 were eligible and included
in the final qualitative synthesis. Overall, there were two main types of pain management
interactive systems within the inpatient setting (standalone systems and integrated
platform systems). While systems were diverse especially for integrated platforms,
most reported systems were entertainment distraction systems. Reports examined a variety
of outcome measures, including changes in patient-reported pain levels, patient engagement,
user satisfaction, changes in clinical workflow, and changes in documentation. In
the 13 systems measuring pain scores, 12 demonstrated a positive impact on pain level
scores.
Conclusion Pain management systems appear to be effective in lowering patient level scores,
but research comparing the effectiveness and efficacy of one type of interactive system
versus another in the management of pain is needed. While not conclusive, pain management
systems integrated with other technology platforms show potentially promising effects
with improving patient communication, education, and self-reporting.
Keywords
pain management - medical informatics applications - patient participation - outcome
assessment
