Implications of the use of time series in the healthcare sector: A systematic literature review

Abstract

A systematic review was conducted under the PRISMA methodology to identify the implications of the use of time series techniques in the health sector. Studies published between 2021 - 2025, in English and with direct application of time series in health contexts were included. After using exclusion and inclusion criteria, 54 articles were analyzed, with a predominance of quantitative studies using the ITS technique. The results refer to relevant implications in the response, such as hospital efficiency, mortality reduction, resource optimization and clinical decision making. It is concluded that these techniques are valuable for evaluating health interventions, although there are still methodological limitations and sustainability challenges to be addressed.