Global trends in health research information systems: A bibliometric analysis
TL;DR
The findings reveal a steady increase in HRIS-related research over the years, reflecting its growing importance in global healthcare systems and the need for integrating advanced technologies, improving data-sharing standards, and strengthening collaboration between developed and developing regions.
Abstract
This study examines the global research trends and development of Health Research Information Systems (HRIS) through bibliometric analysis. Publications indexed in the Scopus database from 1972 to 2026 were taken for the study research. HRIS has become an essential tool for supporting evidence-based healthcare decision-making, knowledge generation, and policy formulation. The study aims to identify major research trends, influential contributors, collaboration patterns, and emerging thematic areas within the field. Bibliometric data were analyzed using VOSviewer and Bibliometrix (R-package) to evaluate publication growth, leading authors, institutions, countries, citation impact, and keyword co-occurrence networks. The findings reveal a steady increase in HRIS-related research over the years, reflecting its growing importance in global healthcare systems. China emerged as the leading contributor in terms of publications and citations, followed by the United States, Australia, Spain, and the United Kingdom. The analysis also shows that most researchers contributed only a single publication, indicating a diverse and multidisciplinary research landscape. The study highlights the evolving intellectual structure of HRIS and emphasizes the need for integrating advanced technologies, improving data-sharing standards, and strengthening collaboration between developed and developing regions. Future advancements in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and open data ecosystems may further transform HRIS into a robust platform for global health research and policy innovation.