Impact of PharmaCloud on Pharmacist-Led Medication Reconciliation Efficiency and Error Detection Among Taiwanese Inpatients

NCT07727278 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 115116-E
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 93
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Taiwan's National Health Insurance Administration PharmaCloud provides cross-institutional medication access to reimbursed medication records to support best possible medication history (BPMH) compilation. However, its utility among internal medicine inpatients, who typically present with complex regimens and frequent medication changes, remains understudied. This study aims to evaluate the impact of PharmaCloud integration on pharmacist-led medication reconciliation (MedRec) efficiency and error detection among internal medicine inpatients at both admission and discharge. The non-randomized, single-center study was conducted from May to November 2024 at the Far Eastern Memorial Hospital in Taiwan. Internal medicine inpatients taking at least one pre-admission chronic medication were enrolled and assigned to standard medication reconciliation protocol (control) or PharmaCloud-integrated medication reconciliation (experimental). Best possible medication history compilation time was recorded across two stages: preparation and interview. Medication discrepancies were identified at admission and discharge and classified as intentional or unintentional.

Conditions

Medication Reconciliation; Best Possible Medication History; Medication Discrepancy

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Best possible medication history compilation efficiency

  The first outcome measure was best possible medication history (BPMH) compilation efficiency, which was measured in minutes as three metrics: preparation time (stage 1), measured from the start of electronic medical record (EMR) and PharmaCloud review to the completion of the preliminary BPMH; interview time (stage 2), measured from the start to the end of the face-to-face interview; and total BPMH compilation time, the sum of stage 1 and 2.

  From patient's time of hospital admission to 72 hours post-admission.

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Medication error detection rate

  Admission: Unintentional discrepancies identified from patient's time of admission to 72 hours post-admission. Discharge: Unintentional discrepancies identified immediately prior to patient's departure from the facility.

Study Arms (2)

Standard medication reconciliation

NO INTERVENTION

Best possible medication histories (BPMHs) were constructed within 72 hours of patient admission. First, designated pharmacists compiled a preliminary BPMH by reviewing in-house electronic medical records. Then, pharmacists conducted patient or caregiver interviews to form the finalized BPMH.

PharmaCloud-intergrated medication reconciliation

EXPERIMENTAL

Best possible medication histories (BPMHs) were constructed within 72 hours of patient admission. First, designated pharmacists compiled a preliminary BPMH by reviewing in-house electronic medical records and PharmaCloud data. Then, pharmacists conducted patient or caregiver interviews to form the finalized BPMH.

Other: PharmaCloud-integrated medication reconciliation

Interventions

PharmaCloud-integrated medication reconciliation OTHER

The intervention entailed supplementing in-house electronic medical record with data from PharmaCloud, a platform launched by Taiwan's National Health Insurance Administration to enable cross-institutional access to reimbursed medication records.

PharmaCloud-intergrated medication reconciliation

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Age 18 years or older
• Use of at least one pre-admission medication for a chronic disease

You may not qualify if:

• If patient was discharged within 48 hours of admission
• If patient was scheduled for surgery during their inpatient stay

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Far Eastern Memorial Hospital: lead
• National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Far Eastern Memorial Hospital

New Taipei City, 220216, Taiwan

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Huang PP, Poon SY, Chang SH, Kuo CW, Chien MW, Chen CC, Chiang SC. Improving the Efficiency of Medication Reconciliation in Two Taiwanese Hospitals by Using the Taiwan National Health Insurance PharmaCloud Medication System. Int J Gen Med. 2023 Jan 19;16:211-220. doi: 10.2147/IJGM.S389683. eCollection 2023.

  PMID: 36699342 BACKGROUND

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NON RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 20, 2026
• First Posted: July 27, 2026
• Study Start: May 1, 2024
• Primary Completion: November 30, 2024
• Study Completion: November 30, 2024
• Last Updated: July 27, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-07

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

TW (1)