title: Effectiveness of pharmacist-led medication reconciliation programmes on clinical outcomes at hospital transitions: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pharmacists 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.
  
  
  METHODS
  Systematic review and meta-analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We 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.
  
  
  RESULTS
  17 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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pharmacist-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.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia School of Pharmacy, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Alemayehu B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Mekonnen
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Centre for Education and Research on Ageing, Concord Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: McLachlan
authors.affiliation: Faculty 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.
authors.forename: Jo-Anne E
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Brien
mesh_terms: D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D059065:Medication Reconciliation / Q000379:methods*; D010343:Patient Admission; D010351:Patient Discharge; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010595:Pharmacists; D010607:Pharmacy Service, Hospital / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Medication reconciliation; medication discrepancies; medication errors; medication review; pharmacists