The Impact of Secure Messaging in the Treatment of Patients With Diabetes Within a Primary Care Setting: Protocol for a Scoping Review

BACKGROUND: Diabetes—a high-burden chronic disease—requires lifetime active management involving the use of different tools and health care resources to improve patient health outcomes. Recent studies have demonstrated promising results regarding the impact of the use of virtual care technology on the treatment of chronic diseases, such as diabetes. However, it is unclear whether the use of technologies, such as secure messaging, improves the quality of care and reduces diabetes-related costs to the health care system. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our scoping review is to explore what is known about the use of secure messaging in the treatment of diabetes within the primary care setting and how its impact has been assessed from the patient and health system perspectives. Our review aims to understand to what extent secure messaging improves the quality of diabetes care. METHODS: Our scoping review will follow the 6-step Arksey and O’Malley methodological framework, as well as the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for scoping reviews and their recommended tools. The tools to guide the development and reporting of the review in a structured way will include the Population, Concept, and Context framework and the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews) guidelines and checklist. The search strategy was developed iteratively in collaboration with a professional information specialist. Furthermore, a peer review of electronic search strategies was also conducted by an independent, third-party, professional information specialist. A systematic literature search will be conducted against databases, including Ovid MEDLINE ALL, Embase, APA PsycINFO, Cochrane Library on Wiley, CINAHL on EBSCO, and PubMed. Grey literature sources will also be searched for relevant literature. Literature on the use of secure messaging in the treatment of diabetes (types 1 and 2) within a primary care setting will be included. Two reviewers will review the literature based on the inclusion criteria in the following two steps: (1) title and abstract review and (2) full-text review. Discrepancies will be discussed to reach consensus where possible; otherwise, a third reviewer will resolve the dispute. RESULTS: The results and a final report are expected to be completed and submitted to a peer-reviewed journal in 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: The review will examine existing literature to identify the impact of secure messaging in diabetes treatment within primary care settings. Research gaps will also be identified to determine if there is a need for further studies. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/42339