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Identify and describe patient engagement interventions used to improve medication management in older adults during transitions of care.
A mixed-methods systematic review.
A comprehensive search of all study designs was conducted. Studies were categorised using the ladder of patient and family engagement, a framework that positions engagement from low (passive) to high (active partnership) patient engagement.
Six databases were searched from inception to April 2024.
The search yielded 29 reports, with 25 classified as studies. Most interventions (n = 19, 76%) were low-level interventions that comprised informing patients in a passive manner. Interventions that facilitated high-level engagement (n = 6, 24%) where patients were integrated in the decision-making process were associated with consistently improved patient and healthcare long-term outcomes.
While low and high-level engagement interventions were associated with significantly decreased hospital readmission rates, high-level interventions consistently demonstrated positive patient outcomes. Interventions supporting older adults beyond discharge achieved meaningful and lasting patient and healthcare outcomes for older adults.
Findings provide clinical reference for designing engagement interventions, highlighting long-term benefits of partnership-based approaches and continuity beyond discharge.
Engagement in medication management during transitions of care varied significantly. High-level engagement was consistently linked to improved patient and healthcare outcomes but was often resource intensive. This review identifies the need to design balanced interventions that align with the preferences of older adults and real-world contextual healthcare settings.
PRISMA guidelines.
No patient or public contribution.
PROSPERO (registration number CRD42024557385).
To explore healthcare professionals', patients', and family members' experiences of managing regular medications across the perioperative pathway in a specialist cancer hospital in Melbourne.
An exploratory qualitative study using a descriptive-interpretive approach.
Interviews were conducted with 11 patients and seven family members, and focus groups with 10 anaesthetists, seven surgeons, four nurses, and 10 pharmacists (N = 49) between October 2024 and April 2025. Transcripts were analysed using Braun and Clarke's reflexive thematic approach and mapped into the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) 2.0 human factors framework.
Three interrelated themes were constructed: (1) Work system elements shaping perioperative medication management, encompassing medication and surgical contexts, documentation gaps, reliable medication information, communication infrastructures, roles and responsibilities, and perioperative area resources; (2) Processes influencing medication management practice, characterised by continuity of care at transition points and flagging processes, interdisciplinary collaboration and role interpretation in medication management, patient involvement, family member involvement, and healthcare professional perspectives; and (3) Outcomes of medication management, including patient and organisational outcomes, such as workflow inefficiencies, procedure cancellations, and unplanned readmissions.
Findings indicated that addressing the complexity of perioperative medication safety demands coordinated contributions across multiple professional disciplines. Strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration, clarifying shared responsibilities, embedding structured reconciliation processes at transitions of care, standardizing communication protocols, and involving patients and families are all critical strategies.
This study highlights the need for interdisciplinary coordination and clear role definitions, with nurses as the key contributor, to support collaborative medication decisions in perioperative cancer care.
This study explored challenges in managing regular medications during cancer surgery, offering insights to guide safer practices for perioperative teams, patients, and families in cancer care settings.
COREQ (Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research) guidelines.
None.
To (1) analyse managers' experiences with handling patient safety incident reports in an incident reporting software, identifying key challenges; (2) analyse the incident report processes from the managers' perspective; (3) examine managers' perceptions of ways to support and improve health professionals' experiences of report-handling processes; and (4) investigate how, from their point of view, incident reporting software should be developed in the future.
A descriptive qualitative study.
Interviews and focus group discussions on Microsoft Teams from 11/2024 to 3/2025, including 16 participants, analysis with deductive and inductive content analysis.
Of 16 participants, 15 were managers and one was a patient safety expert. Most were nurse managers (n = 9). Four discussion themes were divided into 30 categories. Participants highlighted the need to improve the reporting software's terminology, classification and analysis tools. The use of artificial intelligence was desired but not currently integrated into the software. Participants were unsure of their skills to use all the software features. Clear and transparent handling processes, feedback, managers' behaviour and communication methods were seen as key to improving staff's experience with report processes. A real-time warning system was considered beneficial for various incident types. Specific questions must be answered before further developing such systems.
This study deepened the understanding of reporting software's challenges regarding its handling features. The handling processes of incident reports had multiple shortcomings, which may negatively affect health professionals' experiences in report handling. Real-time warning systems could assist healthcare managers in processing reports.
Organisational-level guidance for incident report processing is needed. Improvements to report processing and reporting software can improve shared learning and understanding of the status of patient safety.
No patient or public contribution.
COnsolidated criteria for REporting Qualitative research Checklist.
To explore how residents and caregivers experience engagement in medication communication during transitions of care.
Qualitative exploratory study.
Nine residents and seven family caregivers from two rural aged care homes participated in semi-structured interviews between June and July 2024. Engagement in medication communication was assessed using the Patient and Family Engagement Framework. The COREQ checklist guided reporting of the study.
The study identified two main themes: (1) Medication communication during transitions into healthcare services; (2) Influences shaping residents' and caregivers' engagement in medication communication. Participants primarily experienced passive consultation about medications, mainly due to a lack of proactive engagement from healthcare providers, with both intrinsic and external factors significantly hindering their involvement in medication communication.
Participants had minimal engagement in medication communication during transitions, receiving mainly reactive, one-way information from providers. Improved communication strategies and greater involvement of residents and caregivers are needed to enhance medication safety and continuity of care in rural settings.
This study provides insights into medication communication engagement among rural aged care residents and their family caregivers. By applying the Patient and Family Engagement Framework, the findings highlight the need for proactive, clear and inclusive communication strategies to enhance medication safety and continuity of care. Improving engagement in medication discussions can support shared decision-making, reduce misunderstandings and improve transitions of care in rural aged care settings.
The study followed COREQ guidelines.
Residents and family caregivers participated through interviews.
FreshRSS 