Trends in hospital pharmacist interventions documentation and
classification: A scoping review
Abstract
The practice of documenting pharmacists’ interventions (PIs) has been
endorsed by many hospital pharmacists’ societies and organizations
worldwide. Current systems for recording PIs have been developed to
generate data on better patient and healthcare outcomes, but
harmonization and transferability are apparently minimal. The present
work aims to provide a descriptive and comprehensive overview of the
currently utilized PIs documentation and classification (D/C) tools
contributing to increased evidence systematization. A systematic
literature search was conducted in PUBMED, Scopus, Web of Science and
CINAHL. Studies from 2008, after the release of the Basel Statements,
were included if interventions were made by the hospital or clinical
pharmacists in a global hospital setting. Publications quality
assessment was accomplished using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool
(MMAT). A total of 26 studies were included. Three studies did not refer
to the D/C method, 10 used an in-house developed D/C method, seven used
externally developed D/C tools and six studies described method
validation or translation. Evidence confirmed that most of the D/C
systems are designed in-house, but external development and validation
of PI systems to be used in hospital practice is gradually increasing.
Reports on validated PIs D/C tools that are being used in hospital
clinical practice are limited, including countries with advanced
hospital pharmacy practice. Unmet needs and gaps in practice were
identified. Further research should be conducted to understand why using
validated D/C methods is not a disseminated practice, knowing patients’
and organizational advantages.