Evidence map›Paper›PMID 26908524›Full record

SynthesisBMJ open2016

Effectiveness of pharmacist-led medication reconciliation programmes on clinical outcomes at hospital transitions: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Alemayehu B Mekonnen, Andrew J McLachlan, Jo-Anne E Brien

2 registry-linked trialsAbstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMJ open, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 239 papers, 13 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
239citing papers in PubMed, 13 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT06688591 nawithdrawnnot on this mapstarted 2021, after this paper: background citation

Effectiveness of an Evidence-based Multi-component Intervention Programme to Reduce Medication-related Problems Among Polymedicated Home-dwelling Older Adults: Protocol for a Multi-site Pilot Study of the OptiMed Clinical Trial

TypeinterventionalSponsorHES-SO Valais-WallisRan2021 to 2023Enrolled0ConditionsPolypharmacy, Multiple Chronic ConditionsArmsIntervention programme to optimise medication management and prevent MRPs
NCT06902779 narecruitingnot on this mapstarted 2025, after this paper: background citation

Enhanced Collaboration Between Hospital and Community Pharmacists to Improve the Hospital Discharge Process

TypeinterventionalSponsorPharmacie des Hopitaux de l'Est LemaniqueRan2025 to 2026Enrolled150ConditionsPolypharmacyArmsSupport of the hospital pharmacist for the medication management at hospital discharge
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

239 citing papers in PubMed, 13 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

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  8. Clinical and economic impact of medication reconciliation in cancer patients: a systematic review.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2020
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  9. Effect of medication reconciliation interventions on outcomes: A systematic overview of systematic reviews.American journal of health-system pharmacy : AJHP : official journal of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists · 2019
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  11. Pharmacist services for non-hospitalised patients.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2018
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  12. Impact of medication reconciliation for improving transitions of care.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2018
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179 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Alemayehu B MekonnenFaculty of Pharmacy, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia School of Pharmacy, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
Andrew J McLachlanFaculty of Pharmacy, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Centre for Education and Research on Ageing, Concord Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
Jo-Anne E BrienFaculty of Pharmacy, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Faculty of Medicine, St Vincent's Hospital Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesPharmacists play a role in providing medication reconciliation. However, data on effectiveness on patients' clinical outcomes appear inconclusive. Thus, the aim of this study was to systematically investigate the effect of pharmacist-led medication reconciliation programmes on clinical outcomes at hospital transitions.

designSystematic review and meta-analysis.

methodsWe searched PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, IPA, CINHAL and PsycINFO from inception to December 2014. Included studies were all published studies in English that compared the effectiveness of pharmacist-led medication reconciliation interventions to usual care, aimed at improving medication reconciliation programmes. Meta-analysis was carried out using a random effects model, and subgroup analysis was conducted to determine the sources of heterogeneity.

results17 studies involving 21,342 adult patients were included. Eight studies were randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Most studies targeted multiple transitions and compared comprehensive medication reconciliation programmes including telephone follow-up/home visit, patient counselling or both, during the first 30 days of follow-up. The pooled relative risks showed a more substantial reduction of 67%, 28% and 19% in adverse drug event-related hospital revisits (RR 0.33; 95% CI 0.20 to 0.53), emergency department (ED) visits (RR 0.72; 95% CI 0.57 to 0.92) and hospital readmissions (RR 0.81; 95% CI 0.70 to 0.95) in the intervention group than in the usual care group, respectively. The pooled data on mortality (RR 1.05; 95% CI 0.95 to 1.16) and composite readmission and/or ED visit (RR 0.95; 95% CI 0.90 to 1.00) did not differ among the groups. There was significant heterogeneity in the results related to readmissions and ED visits, however. Subgroup analyses based on study design and outcome timing did not show statistically significant results.

conclusionPharmacist-led medication reconciliation programmes are effective at improving post-hospital healthcare utilisation. This review supports the implementation of pharmacist-led medication reconciliation programmes that include some component aimed at improving medication safety.

Indexed as

Patient DischargeDrug-Related Side Effects and Adverse ReactionsEmergency Service, HospitalHumansMedication ReconciliationPatient AdmissionPatient ReadmissionPharmacistsPharmacy Service, Hospitalmedication discrepanciesmedication errorsMedication reconciliationmedication reviewpharmacists

Identifiers

PMID26908524
PMCPMC4769405

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.