Medication reconciliation in clinical practice: a survey of knowledge, attitude, and practices among Egyptian healthcare providers.

backgroundPatients are at significant risk of harm from unintended medication errors, which remain prevalent and often preventable in healthcare systems, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Medication reconciliation (MedRec) plays a critical role in minimizing these errors by ensuring an accurate and complete medication list throughout patient transitions in the healthcare system.

aimThis study aimed to assess the current status of the MedRec process in Egypt by exploring the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of physicians and pharmacists as key stakeholders in its implementation.

methodsThis descriptive, cross-sectional study used a structured, validated, self-administered online questionnaire targeting Egyptian physicians and pharmacists. The questionnaire was distributed via snowball sampling through professional networks and social media. Branching logic was used to tailor questions based on respondents’ familiarity with MedRec and hospital-based practices. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the responses, while Chi-square and Mann–Whitney U tests were used to assess group differences.

resultsAmong 272 respondents (182 pharmacists, 90 physicians), representing multiple Egyptian governorates and healthcare sectors (public, private, and military). Among them, 66.9% reported familiarity with MedRec, significantly higher among pharmacists (73.1% vs. 54.4%; p = 0.002). Most respondents (70.2%) rated MedRec as “very valuable” for patient safety, and both groups expressed strong responsibility for its core tasks. Among the 136 hospital-based respondents familiar with MedRec, 79.4% reported institutional implementation. Physicians were more likely than pharmacists to ask patients for their current medication lists (93.8% vs. 76.1%; p = 0.021). Sources of medication history included patient lists or physician documents (74.3%), family interviews (74.3%), medication boxes from home (59.56%), discharge orders (52.2%), and transfer orders from other facilities (33.8%).

conclusionContinuous education and training programs are required to close knowledge gaps, strengthen MedRec practices, and promote a culture of patient safety in Egypt.