Quick response code applications in medical and cardiology settings: a systematic scoping review

AIMS: To review published literature on the use of quick response (QR) codes within medical and cardiology settings. METHODS AND RESULTS: Medline, Scopus Search, and Cochrane Library were used to conduct the research. Title and abstract review of 376 publications were performed. Papers that discussed the application of QR codes in medical setting were included. A total of 151 articles were reviewed and thematic analysis conducted to understand how QR codes are currently used in the medical setting, the medical areas in which they are mostly used, their applications in the cardiovascular area. The analysis of 151 articles revealed that QR code technology is mainly used in the medical field to: (i) collect data via survey, (ii) educate medical staff or students, and (iii) provide information about therapies or surgery. The medical area in which QR codes are most used is the clinical one, but only 3.3% of publications concern cardiovascular settings. A third of the QR code-related articles of 2020 is about Covid-19. CONCLUSIONS: Different uses of QR codes in a medical setting are increasing. Quick response codes might represent an easy and convenient digital tool to collect data and implement telemedicine programs on a large scale involving also the cardiovascular setting.