Response pathways and clinical workflow integration of digital symptom management platforms for breast cancer: A scoping review
TL;DR
Key implementation elements of current digital symptom management platforms for breast cancer, such as system integration and response timeliness, remain insufficiently reported and future efforts should establish a standardized reporting framework and conduct cross-setting implementation studies to evaluate the applicability and sustainability of these implementation models.
Abstract
Objective This study systematically reviewed evidence on the operational pathways and workflow integration of digital symptom management platforms for breast cancer, covering the full process from monitoring to intervention. It summarized response pathway patterns to inform oncology nursing practice. Methods Following the Arksey and O'Malley scoping review framework, we systematically searched seven databases from January 1, 2010 to August 7, 2026. The PCC (Population, Concept, Context) principle was adopted to formulate the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Indicators related to operation and implementation were extracted. Results A total of 19 publications representing 18 independent studies and 18 unique digital platforms were included. Only a few studies reported implementation details such as data integration with hospital information systems, response time, referral escalation, staff training, and process safety. According to whether clinicians participated in symptom management workflows, we classified the included platforms into two mutually exclusive categories: the clinician-involved pathway (n = 16) and the patient-alone pathway (n = 2). Conclusions Key implementation elements of current digital symptom management platforms for breast cancer, such as system integration and response timeliness, remain insufficiently reported. We established an exploratory classification framework comprising two mutually exclusive categories—the clinician-involved pathway and the patient-alone pathway—which may serve as a reference for oncology nursing practice. Future efforts should establish a standardized reporting framework and conduct cross-setting implementation studies to evaluate the applicability and sustainability of these implementation models. Review registration The study protocol is registered in the Open Science Framework (OSF Registry ID: 10.17605/OSF.IO/QPHV3).