Healthcare 5.0 as an emerging research domain: A comprehensive bibliometric analysis and science mapping study

Abstract

Healthcare 5.0 constitutes a paradigmatic transformation in medical systems, yet its intellectual topology remains insufficiently examined. Through a systematic literature review encompassing Industry 5.0 and Healthcare 5.0 frameworks, this investigation presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of Healthcare 5.0's evolutionary trajectory, analyzing 112 Scopus-indexed publications spanning 2020-2024. Employing VOSviewer and Biblioshiny analytical platforms, we conducted performance analysis, scientific production analysis, and science mapping to elucidate the field's structural composition. Network analysis revealed three predominant research clusters: technological infrastructure, security solutions, and clinical applications. Thematic mapping identified blockchain technology and artificial intelligence (AI) as pivotal innovations, while lexical analysis delineated five distinct clusters: health technologies and operational systems, blockchain-enabled digital transformation, industrial sustainability frameworks, security-privacy protocols, and advanced AI applications. The security-privacy cluster exhibited robust interconnectivity across all domains, underscoring its fundamental significance within Healthcare 5.0. The expeditious integration of emergent technologies, including metaverse applications and quantum cryptography, indicates the domain's dynamic evolution. Obtained findings empirically document Healthcare 5.0's accelerating transition from a technology-centric to a human-centric paradigm while emphasizing the strategic imperatives of blockchain and AI investments for healthcare organizations pursuing digital transformation initiatives.