Digital evolution and emerging inequalities in healthcare: a scoping review through the lens of knowledge management

The rapid diffusion of digital technologies throughout the healthcare system has created new opportunities to improve the use, efficiency and continuity of healthcare services. The academic debate has largely explored the implementation of digital tools and their impact on clinical processes and health outcomes. Despite the potential benefits, the digital evolution of the healthcare system could generate or aggravate existing inequalities. Although existing studies on digital technologies in healthcare are consolidated and numerous, little attention has been paid to the emergence of inequalities at individual, organisational and system levels. To fill this gap, this study aims to focus on how emerging inequalities are framed in the academic debate, with a focus on the socio-demographic, technological and organisational factors of digital evolution of the healthcare system. This study is based on a knowledge management perspective.