Implementation of a Medication Reconciliation Assistive Technology: A Qualitative Analysis

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Qualitative Health Research
• Implementation Science

Background:

• Medication reconciliation is crucial for patient safety, especially in complex hybrid primary-specialty care settings.
• Successful implementation requires understanding the unique contextual factors influencing process adoption.
• Qualitative methods offer deep insights into the 'climate of implementation'.

Purpose of the Study:

• To qualitatively explore barriers and facilitators to implementing a medication reconciliation process.
• To provide actionable guidance for future implementation projects in similar settings.
• To understand the perspectives of healthcare professionals involved in the process.

Main Methods:

• Semi-structured interviews were conducted pre-implementation and iteratively throughout.
• The Rapid Assessment Process framework guided the study design.
• Grounded theory and cross-examination were used for data analysis.

Main Results:

• Five key barriers and five facilitators were identified.
• Facilitators included alignment with user values and motivation from the implementation team.
• Barriers comprised perceived limited change capacity, divergent priorities, and role/standard inconsistencies.

Conclusions:

• Qualitative insights into implementation barriers and facilitators are vital for successful medication reconciliation.
• Understanding user values and fostering champions are critical success factors.
• Addressing inconsistencies in roles and standards can improve process adoption.