Roles of Technology in Patient Education : Smartphones, Tablets and Mobile Application

Abstract

Technology has significantly enhanced patient education by encompassing the process of imparting information, knowledge, and skills to patients on how to manage their health ef-fectively and make informed decisions about their care. It has extended educational goals through tools such as mobile devices, tablets, and mobile applications.

The purpose of this study is to describe the role of technology in patient education through understanding how technology has been used to improve patients’ outcome. The aim of this study was to explore the impact and effectiveness of technology in patient education by conducting a comprehensive literature review. This research sought to identify the various technological tools and platforms being utilized, assess their benefits and challenges, and evaluate their overall contribution to improving patient outcomes, engagement, and satisfaction.

This study utilized a comprehensive literature review approach to examine the role of technology in patient education. Academic databases such as PubMed and CINAHL were searched for peer-reviewed articles, reviews, and reports published between 2019 and 2024. Selected articles were analyzed to identify trends, benefits, challenges, and future directions of technology in patient education.

The study aims to produce new knowledge on how technology can be used by healthcare providers in patient education. This was sought to be achieved by redoing an in-depth search of existing literature on this topic and re-analysing the same towards addressing the study questions: What kind of mobile health applications are used in patient education? What are the benefits of mobile applications to the healthcare providers and patients on patient education? Mobile health applications significantly enhance patient education by providing diverse, technology drive tools such as self-management applications, real-time monitoring and health delivery apps, supportive education apps and visual & interactive learning apps that empower patients to actively manage their health while improving comprehension and engagement. It has also revolutionized patient education through empowering patients, boosting engagement, increasing satisfaction, and enhancing access to information thus transforming health care.