Health care hotspotting: A scoping review

BACKGROUND: Super-utilizers of the health care system compose a small percentage of the population, yet use the most health care resources. Hotspotting addresses this issue by providing high-quality, personalized care to this population. PURPOSE: This review examined how hotspotting has been defined, implemented, and measured. METHODS: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guided this review. Twelve databases were searched for hotspotting interventions in practice settings. RESULTS: Sixteen studies were included. Hotspotting was primarily defined by the Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers and relied on multiple professions, including nursing. Hotspotting interventions addressed access to care, social determinants of health, patient engagement, and health literacy. Some studies indicated that hotspotting reduced readmissions and emergency department visits and increased use in social services. CONCLUSIONS: Patients benefit from an interprofessional, personalized approach to their care planning. Hotspotting can lead to high-quality care through building trusted relationships.