The role of multiplatform messaging applications in burns care and rehabilitation: A systematic review

Background: Multiplatform messaging applications also referred to as cross-platform instant messaging play an important role in delivery of healthcare and education with its low cost, ease of use and accessibility.

Aim: To evaluate the existing evidence regarding the use of multiplatform messaging applications in facilitating consultations and decision-making processes in the context of burns care, as well as to assess the impact of such applications on burns care and rehabilitation.

Method: A systematic review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and PROSPERO protocol CRD42021265203. The CASP and JBI tools were used to evaluate the quality of the studies. Eight hundred fifty-three papers were retrieved from PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, EMBASE and LILACS published up to July 2022 (updated August 2023) with no time restrictions applied.

Results: An analysis of the seven studies included in this review, inclusive of 16 Multiplatform messaging applications, revealed six themes. These encompassed the utilization of social media for directing and managing clinical practice, as a mode of communication, for evaluating the quality-of-care provision, for investigating available platforms and their technological features, measuring quality of life and for examining issues related to confidentiality.

Conclusion: Multiplatform messaging applications offer a solution for individuals with burn injuries to stay in direct contact with burn specialist clinicians for their follow-up and subsequent rehabilitation phase of recovery.