Digitally shared medication lists - A scoping review

Access to accurate information about prescribed medications is crucial for effective patient care, particularly during care transitions, as discrepancies in medication records can lead to inappropriate prescribing and adverse drug reactions. In response, several countries are developing systems for digitally shared medication lists (SMLs) to improve medication management. This scoping review synthesizes existing evidence on SMLs, defined as systems that electronically transfer and aggregate real-time information about patients' current medications across provider organizations, excluding systems limited to one-to-one transfers.

A Preferred Reporting Items for Scoping Review (PRISMA) guided approach was followed. We searched CINAHL, EMBASE, PubMed, and Web of Science in January 2025. Pairs of reviewers independently screened and extracted data on characteristics, aims, types of systems, and outcomes related to SMLs.

A total of 24 studies were included examining 11 distinct SML systems across eight countries, categorizing them into three main types: 1) National, centralized medication lists/databases; 2) Shared electronic health record (EHR) systems; and 3) Complementary or temporary solutions. The findings indicate that SMLs can enhance patient safety by providing healthcare professionals with more accurate medication information, enabling automated safety checks, and reducing discrepancies. However, challenges related to data quality, usability, and unclear responsibilities for maintaining SML accuracy remain.

SML systems have been implemented in only a few countries and need better integration with clinical workflows to achieve desired effects. Future research should focus on the impact of patient engagement on medication safety, and the long-term effects of SMLs on clinical outcomes.