Best possible medication history interview guide: a rapid scoping review

Area of Science:

• Pharmacovigilance
• Health Informatics
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Adverse drug events (ADEs) significantly impact patient morbidity, mortality, and healthcare expenses.
• The Best Possible Medication History (BPMH) is crucial for compiling accurate patient medication records.
• Existing BPMH interview guides require updates to align with current healthcare practices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To update the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) Canada BPMH interview guide.
• To develop new questions and a standardized procedure for BPMH completion.
• To understand stakeholder preferences regarding the BPMH interview process.

Main Methods:

• A rapid scoping review was conducted across multiple databases and grey literature.
• Included quantitative, qualitative, systematic reviews, and grey literature on BPMH.
• Data extraction and screening were performed in duplicate using Covidence, with pilot testing for reliability.

Main Results:

• 95 articles were included, providing insights for updating the BPMH guide.
• Identified new questions for adherence, non-prescription substance use (alcohol, cannabis), and virtual care integration.
• Facilitators included clinical leadership, virtual care, technology access, and patient/caregiver hearing.

Conclusions:

• The review successfully identified enhancements for the ISMP Canada BPMH interview guide.
• Incorporating user and patient/caregiver feedback via codesign is essential for the updated guide.
• Further refinement will improve medication reconciliation and patient safety.