Telecardiologia: potenzialità e limiti. Una revisione strutturata della letteratura

To date, mortality rates associated with heart disease are dangerously increasing, making it the leading cause of death globally. From this point of view, digital technologies can provide health systems with the necessary support to increase prevention, monitoring and improve care delivery. Several studies and experiments have been launched in recent years to investigate the potential and possible barriers to implementing these tools within Cardiology departments. These issues are, in fact, much debated today because, although these technologies bring numerous benefits, such as a reduction in hospitalization and readmission rates with a consequent improvement in the quality of life for patients, on the other hand, they are still a source of concern, given the lack of a regulation that guarantees common and transparent ethical and privacy standards. Furthermore, there are several obstacles to the use of given solutions, such as the low digital literacy of patients and social-health personnel, as well as the poor acceptance of the new model of care. The present study, therefore, proposes a structured review of the literature that collects the results of given experiences, through which it is possible to build a reference framework to develop reflections to optimize the use of resources and technologies, favoring the development of new organizational models and intervention strategies.