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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

A national study of the processes and outcomes of paediatric formulary applications in Australia.

Objective: To evaluate the processes by which pharmaceuticals are added to the formularies of Australian paediatric hospitals.

Design: Descriptive study of the processes and outcomes of all submissions to Australian paediatric hospital drug and therapeutics committees from 1 July 2010 to 31 December 2011.

Setting: All eight tertiary paediatric hospitals in Australia.

Risk of bias in randomized trials of pharmacological interventions in children and adults.

Objective: To determine whether randomized controlled trials of pharmacologic interventions in children are more likely to be biased than similar trials in adults.

Study Design: Trials involving only children and published in MEDLINE between January 2008 and October 2009 (n=100) were randomly selected and matched, by drug class and therapeutic area, with a similar trial completed in adults. The Cochrane risk of bias tool was used to compare the pediatric and adult trials.

A qualitative study of Swedes' opinions about shared electronic health records.

European countries are world-leading in the development and implementation of e-Health. In Sweden, all primary healthcare centres and most hospitals use digital records. Some regions use the same software which allows for clinical information to be shared (regionally shared EHRs), but there is a movement towards making all EHRs inter-operable to allow for a National Patient Summary (NPS).

A qualitative study of Australians' opinions about personally controlled electronic health records.

Background: A personally controlled electronic health record (PCEHR) system is being implemented in Australia. Every Australian that wants a PCEHR will be able to opt-in from July 2012.

Aim: To explore the opinions of Australian consumers and healthcare providers about the PCEHR.

Setting priorities for high-cost medications in public hospitals in Australia: should the public be involved?

Aim: To explore healthcare decision makers' perceptions about public involvement in setting priorities for high-cost medications (HCMs) in public hospitals in Australia.

Methods: In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 decision-makers (executive directors of hospitals, area health service managers, directors of hospital pharmacy departments and senior medical doctors) in a Sydney Area Health Service. Interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim, thematically content analysed and coded.

Challenges in chronic illness management: a qualitative study of Australian pharmacists' perspectives.

Objective: To explore pharmacists' views on managing patients with chronic illness; to understand the incentives and barriers they perceive and the solutions they propose to overcome these barriers.

Setting: Hospital pharmacists, with experience in managing people with chronic illnesses, working in western Sydney, Australia, were interviewed during June and July 2008.

Method: A qualitative study involving group and individual interviews using a semi-structured interview guide.

The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and implications for paediatric prescribing.

Aims: To evaluate the impact of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) decisions on access to medicines listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) for children.

Methods: We analysed all public summary documents from PBAC meetings from July 2005 to November 2006 and compared these with the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) recommendations for children for the same medicine. Main outcome measures stratified by age, the total number of medicines for specific indications (accepted and rejected) by therapeutic class; estimated cost to the PBS per annum for each medicine recommended for listing; comparison of TGA-approved product information and PBS listing for recommended medicines.

Quality patient care and pharmacists' role in its continuity--a systematic review.

Background: Continuity of care is important for the delivery of quality health care. Despite the abundance of research on this concept in the medical and nursing literature, there is a lack of consensus on its definition. As pharmacists have moved beyond their historical product-centered practice, a source of patient-centered research on continuity of care for practice application is required.

Quality of drug interaction alerts in prescribing and dispensing software.

Objective: To investigate the quality of drug interaction decision support in selected prescribing and dispensing software systems, and to compare this information with that found in a range of reference sources.

Design And Setting: A comparative study, conducted between June 2006 and February 2007, of the support provided for making decisions about 20 major and 20 minor drug interactions in six prescribing and three dispensing software systems used in primary care in Australia. Five electronic reference sources were evaluated for comparison.

Medication adherence among heart and/or lung transplant recipients: An exploratory study.

Objectives: To investigate medication nonadherence in heart and/or lung transplant recipients; to explore patients' opinions about their medications and transplant experience; and to investigate strategies used to facilitate adherence.

Methods: A semi-structured questionnaire was developed to address the objectives of this exploratory study. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with inpatients and clinic outpatients at a large public teaching hospital.

Public views on priority setting for high cost medications in public hospitals in Australia.

Objective: To gather information about views of members of the general public about access to High Cost Medications (HCMs) in public hospitals.

Methods: A structured questionnaire was administered to members of the general public. Individuals were approached in train stations, shopping centres and different venues in the Sydney metropolitan area.