Impact of a policy to improve the management of oral medications when patients are fasting before a procedure: an interrupted time series analysis.

Background: Managing medications inappropriately when patients have oral intake restrictions can cause patient harm. This study evaluated the impact of a medication policy separating fasting from nil by mouth with respect to giving oral medications in patients fasting before a diagnostic or interventional procedure.

Methods: The policy stipulated that 'fasting' means oral medications should be given with a sip of water up to 1 hour before a procedure, unless there is a clinical reason to withhold, while 'nil by mouth' means nothing to be given orally, including medications.

Medicines information services in a resource-limited setting.

Introduction: In resource-limited settings, it is particularly important to explore the priorities for, as well as barriers to, development of health services. There has been limited development of medicines information (MI) services in Vietnam despite national guidelines.

Objectives: To explore the current status of MI services for healthcare professionals and patients in Vietnamese hospitals.

Diabetes-Related Healthcare Services in Nepal-A Qualitative Exploration of Healthcare Professionals' Opinions.

Healthcare professionals' level of engagement in diabetes care and their perceptions of challenges to effective diabetes care are key indicators impacting diabetes management. This study investigated diabetes-related healthcare services provided in Nepal, and explored healthcare professionals' opinions of the barriers to, and strategies for, effective diabetes care. In-depth face-to-face interviews were conducted with thirty healthcare professionals providing healthcare or medication-related services to patients with type 2 diabetes within Kathmandu Valley.

The use of discrete choice experiments in adherence research: A new solution to an old problem.

Theory can play an important role in providing the framework, and underpinning the design and implementation of interventions to improve medication adherence. Interventions that are grounded in a theory are relatively more effective in improving medication adherence than interventions which do not have a theoretical support. However, a large body of adherence research does not appear to be linked to any theory or model, which therefore may have resulted in interventions that are either ineffective or not sustainable.

Surgical nurses' perceptions and experiences of a medications and oral restrictions policy change: A focus group study.

Aims And Objectives: To explore the perceptions and experiences of surgical nurses before and after introducing the Medications and Oral Restrictions Policy (the Policy).

Background: The Policy was developed following extensive consultation, and evidence-based strategies were considered for its implementation. However, it is possible uptake did not meet expectations.

Barriers to managing medications appropriately when patients have restrictions on oral intake.

Rationale, Aims, And Objectives: Investigation of several serious adverse events in our organization highlighted that medications were managed inappropriately when patients have oral intake restrictions. The aim of this work was to identify the barriers to optimal medication management when patients have restrictions on their oral intake.

Method: Data were feedback and comments obtained between 2011 and 2014 from a hospital-wide quality assurance project.

Evaluation of the impact of pharmacist-led medication reconciliation intervention: a single centre pre-post study from Ethiopia.

Background The role of pharmacists in medication reconciliation (MedRec) is highly acknowledged in many developed nations. However, the impact of this strategy has not been well researched in low-and-middle-income countries, including Ethiopia. Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of pharmacist-led MedRec intervention on the incidence of unintentional medication discrepancies in Ethiopia.

Medication non-adherence in a cohort of chronically ill Australians: A case of missed opportunities.

Background And Objectives: This study investigated the effect of management - including home medicines reviews and chronic disease management plans funded through the Medicare Benefits Schedule - on self-reported medication non-adherence.

Method: An observational cohort study including 244 individuals with an exacerbation of chronic illness enrolled into the Care Navigation randomised controlled trial of integrated care. Non-adherence was measured using the Morisky-Greene-Levine self-reported adherence tool.

Hospital clinical pharmacy services in Vietnam.

Background Clinical pharmacy is key to the quality use of medicines. While there are different approaches in different countries, international perspectives may inform health service development. The Vietnamese Ministry of Health introduced a legal regulation of clinical pharmacy services in December 2012.

Barriers and facilitators to hospital pharmacists' engagement in medication safety activities: a qualitative study using the theoretical domains framework.

Background: Hospital pharmacists play a central role in medication safety activities. However, in Ethiopia, this role has been launched recently and little is known regarding the current status of this extended service. Using the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF), we aimed to identify the barriers and facilitators to hospital pharmacists' engagement in medication safety activities across various public hospitals in the Amhara region of Ethiopia.

Adverse Drug Events and Medication Errors in African Hospitals: A Systematic Review.

Background: Medication errors and adverse drug events are universal problems contributing to patient harm but the magnitude of these problems in Africa remains unclear.

Objective: The objective of this study was to systematically investigate the literature on the extent of medication errors and adverse drug events, and the factors contributing to medication errors in African hospitals.

Methods: We searched PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science and Global Health databases from inception to 31 August, 2017 and hand searched the reference lists of included studies.

Blood glucose monitoring in type 2 diabetes - Nepalese patients' opinions and experiences.

Background: Blood glucose monitoring forms a vital component of diabetes care. Monitoring conducted at home using glucometers, and in laboratories by professionals, are two common methods of blood glucose monitoring in clinical practice.

Objective: To investigate Nepalese patients' perceptions and practices of blood glucose monitoring in diabetes.

"I have nine specialists. They need to swap notes!" Australian patients' perspectives of medication-related problems following discharge from hospital.

Background: Research has shown that patients are most susceptible to medication-related problems (MRPs) when transitioning from hospital to home. Currently, the literature in this area focuses on interventions, which are mainly orientated around the perspective of the health-care professional and do not take into account patient perspectives and experiences.

Objective: To capture the experiences and perceptions of Australian patients regarding MRPs following discharge from hospital.

Perceived impact of Nepalese food and food culture in diabetes.

Consuming a healthy diet forms an important component of diabetes management; however, adhering to a healthy diet is challenging. Dietary behaviour is often guided by socio-cultural, environmental and emotional factors, and not necessarily by physical and nutritional needs. This study explored Nepalese patients' perceptions of the impact of diet, diet management requirement for diabetes and how Nepalese food culture in particular influenced diet management.

Nepalese patients' anti-diabetic medication taking behaviour: an exploratory study.

Objective: To explore anti-diabetic medication taking behaviour in Nepalese patients with type 2 diabetes and investigate the factors impacting medication taking in this population.

Design: Face-to-face interviews (n = 48) were conducted with Nepalese patients with type 2 diabetes in Sydney (Australia) and Kathmandu (Nepal). All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed.

Medication reconciliation as a medication safety initiative in Ethiopia: a study protocol.

Introduction: Medication related adverse events are common, particularly during transitions of care, and have a significant impact on patient outcomes and healthcare costs. Medication reconciliation (MedRec) is an important initiative to achieve the Quality Use of Medicines, and has been adopted as a standard practice in many developed countries. However, the impact of this strategy is rarely described in Ethiopia.

Nepalese patients' perceptions of treatment modalities for type 2 diabetes.

Background: Perceptions and beliefs about treatment can influence patients' adherence to treatment regimens. Perceptions, in turn, are often shaped by patients' sociocultural context. Nepal and the Nepalese have unique sociocultural traditions and beliefs, and their perceptions of diabetes treatment remain largely unexplored.

Impact of electronic medication reconciliation interventions on medication discrepancies at hospital transitions: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Medication reconciliation has been identified as an important intervention to minimize the incidence of unintentional medication discrepancies at transitions in care. However, there is a lack of evidence for the impact of information technology on the rate and incidence of medication discrepancies identified during care transitions. This systematic review was thus, aimed to evaluate the impact of electronic medication reconciliation interventions on the occurrence of medication discrepancies at hospital transitions.

Consumer perspectives of medication-related problems following discharge from hospital in Australia: a quantitative study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the consumer's perspectives and experiences regarding medication related problems (MRPs) following discharge from hospital.

Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted using an online 80-question survey.

Setting: Survey participants were recruited through an online market research company.

Pharmacy-led medication reconciliation programmes at hospital transitions: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

What Is Known And Objective: Medication reconciliation is recognized as an important tool for the prevention of medication discrepancies and subsequent patient harm at care transitions. However, there is inconclusive evidence as to the impact of medication reconciliation at hospital transitions overall, as well as pharmacy-led medication reconciliation services. This review sought to evaluate the impact of pharmacy-led medication reconciliation interventions on medication discrepancies at hospital transitions and to categorize these interventions as single transition interventions or multiple transitions interventions.

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

Objectives: 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.

A Systematic Review of Interventions Addressing Adherence to Anti-Diabetic Medications in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes--Components of Interventions.

Background: Poor adherence to anti-diabetic medications contributes to suboptimal glycaemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). A range of interventions have been developed to promote anti-diabetic medication adherence. However, there has been very little focus on the characteristics of these interventions and how effectively they address factors that predict non-adherence.

Patients' and providers' perspectives of a polypill strategy to improve cardiovascular prevention in Australian primary health care: a qualitative study set within a pragmatic randomized, controlled trial.

Background: This study explores health provider and patient attitudes toward the use of a cardiovascular polypill as a health service strategy to improve cardiovascular prevention.

Methods And Results: In-depth, semistructured interviews (n=94) were conducted with health providers and patients from Australian general practice, Aboriginal community-controlled and government-run Indigenous Health Services participating in a pragmatic randomized controlled trial evaluating a polypill-based strategy for high-risk primary and secondary cardiovascular disease prevention. Interview topics included polypill strategy acceptability, factors affecting adherence, and trial implementation.

A systematic review of interventions addressing adherence to anti-diabetic medications in patients with type 2 diabetes--impact on adherence.

Background: The global prevalence of diabetes is increasing. Medications are a recommended strategy to control hyperglycaemia. However, patient adherence can be variable, impacting health outcomes.

Factors affecting nebulised medicine adherence in adult patients with cystic fibrosis: a qualitative study.

Background: Nebulised medicines contribute to the high treatment burden experienced by patients with cystic fibrosis (CF).

Objectives: This study explored experiences of adult patients with CF when using nebulised medicines, factors impacting on their adherence to nebulised therapy and strategies they used to facilitate adherence.

Setting: Community setting, in Sydney, Australia.