Exploring the contextual and human factors of electronic medication reconciliation research: a scoping review

Medication reconciliation (MedRec) is an important task that occurs in a variety of different contexts. Similar to other healthcare practices, MedRec is transitioning from being a paper-based process to one that is performed electronically. This paper will provide a scoping review of the prevalent research topics from both contextual and human factors perspectives.

PubMed and CINAHL were searched for all articles including the term "medication reconciliation". The 139 articles that met inclusion criteria were reviewed for themes and findings.

Three primary themes surfaced through this analysis: a) The contextual factors of MedRec, b) information technology (IT) in MedRec, and c) obstacles and opportunities for improving MedRec.

MedRec is performed in a variety of settings. The transition to electronic MedRec (eMedRec) has the potential to mitigate errors associated with a paper-based system but also creates opportunities for new technology-induced errors to occur. Interoperability with other health information systems is ideal. Additionally, Process standardization and workflow are important considerations when transitioning to eMedRec.

As the process of medication reconciliation transitions from a paper-based to an electronic task, it is imperative to minimize the opportunity for human error and maximize the effectiveness of the system as a whole. Further, it is important for research to continue to explore original strategies for IT to enhance medication reconciliation.