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Open research questions in Pharmaceutical Practices and Patient Outcomes

321 unresolved questions extracted from the limitations and future-work sections of 1,919 Pharmaceutical Practices and Patient Outcomes papers in our library. Each links back to the study that raised it.

What the literature leaves open

  • acceptance, medicine discontinuation, PIM count, DBI score, or anticholinergic burden. Mortality, readmission, falls, and quality of life are influenced by frailty, disease severity, indication, follow-up duration, post-discharge adherence, and the medicine withdrawn. Small single- centre and before-and-after studies are therefore poorly suited to detect reliable differences in these endpoints. In pooled evidence, Carollo et al.[11] reported a small reduction in readmission without a mortality benefit, whereas Tesfaye et al.[12] found no significant pooled effect on total medicine count or effective deprescribing across mixed substantial heterogeneity. settings noted and There were nevertheless clinically relevant signals: fewer reported adverse drug reactions after hip fracture, better functional recovery in rehabilitation, less inappropriate insulin exposure, no withdrawal events in one DBI programme, and preserved sleep quality after hypnotic discontinuation.[7,14,18,21,22] Larger controlled studies with standard outcomes and longer follow-up are needed to determine whether these signals are reproducible. The pharmacist's role within a multidisciplinary model The evidence favours a pharmacist-led, not pharmacist- only, model. Pharmacists are well placed to find high- risk patients, verify histories, assess PIMs and interactions, review benefit and harm, propose tapering and monitoring, and communicate across settings.

    PHARMACIST-LED DEPRESCRIBING FOR HOSPITALIZED OLDER ADULTS: CURRENT EVIDENCE, IMPLEMENTATION BARRIERS, AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS · 2026 · DOI

  • acceptance interpretation.[21] In rehabilitation, deprescribing was independently associated with greater improvement in Functional Independence Measure scores.[14] limit of Available safety findings were mostly reassuring. No adverse drug withdrawal events were reported in the Canadian DBI implementation group,[7] and the Belgian hypnotic intervention did not worsen sleep quality.[18] By contrast, several participants in the benzodiazepine project symptoms, reinforcing the need for individual tapering plans and clinical support.[13] experienced withdrawal-related Few studies were designed to assess readmission, mortality, falls, quality of life, or long-term function. Kimura et al.[2] found no significant difference in 30- or 90-day readmission despite clear medication changes.

    PHARMACIST-LED DEPRESCRIBING FOR HOSPITALIZED OLDER ADULTS: CURRENT EVIDENCE, IMPLEMENTATION BARRIERS, AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS · 2026 · DOI

  • Cross-sectional design precludes inference of causality, - Online convenience sampling may limit representativeness, - Overrepresentation of young, female, bachelor's-level, and early-career clinical nutrition specialists, - Unknown response rate due to lack of defined sampling frame

    Factors associated with knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding food-drug interactions and drug-nutrient interactions among clinical nutrition specialists in Saudi Arabia · 2026 · DOI

  • Longitudinal studies to examine causal relationships between knowledge, attitudes, and practices, - Studies to develop and evaluate interventions to improve education and training on FDIs and DNIs, - Research on the impact of FDIs and DNIs on patient outcomes

    Factors associated with knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding food-drug interactions and drug-nutrient interactions among clinical nutrition specialists in Saudi Arabia · 2026 · DOI

  • The study was conducted in a single hospital, - The sample size was limited to 236 patients, - The study used a cross-sectional design

    Polypharmacy, drug–drug interactions, and potentially inappropriate medications among older adults: a cross-sectional study in Northeast Ethiopia · 2025 · DOI

  • The study identifies a need to assess the prevalence of polypharmacy, drug-drug interaction, and potentially inappropriate medication use in an Ethiopian hospital. There is a gap in understanding the factors associated with potentially inappropriate medication use among older adults in Ethiopia.

    Polypharmacy, drug–drug interactions, and potentially inappropriate medications among older adults: a cross-sectional study in Northeast Ethiopia · 2025 · DOI

  • Clinical pharmacists exhibited variable awareness levels about the DRG or DIP system. There is a need for professional development, particularly concerning health economics and DRG-based or DIP-based patient care. There is a demand for more resources, be it in training platforms or personnel.

    Current scenario and challenges of clinical pharmacists to implement pharmaceutical care in DRG/DIP payment hospitals in China: a qualitative interview study · 2024 · DOI

  • Further studies are needed to investigate the long-term effects of the DRG/DIP payment system on clinical pharmacists, - Research on the impact of the DRG/DIP payment system on patient outcomes is necessary

    Current scenario and challenges of clinical pharmacists to implement pharmaceutical care in DRG/DIP payment hospitals in China: a qualitative interview study · 2024 · DOI

  • Reports describing the development of clinical skills were scarce and the review was focused on the investigation of contexts and mechanisms which favor the development of non-clinical skills, such as research, leadership, and teaching skills.

    Research, leadership, and teaching skills—a realist review and synthesis of how and why these develop in pharmacy residency programs · 2026 · DOI

  • While earlier studies have demonstrated the feasibility and benefits in metropolitan areas, little is known about effective implementation across diverse geographic contexts.

    On-site pharmacist implementation trial in residential aged care homes in urban, regional, rural and remote (OPTIMISER3) Australia: study protocol · 2026 · DOI

  • However, the availability and utilization of these services in Saudi community pharmacies remain insufficiently characterized.

    Availability, utilization, and factors associated with professional pharmacy services in community pharmacies in Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study · 2026 · DOI

  • Abstract Background Evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) testing medication reviews in geriatric oncology is sparse.

    Cancer co‐medication quality in older patients with polypharmacy: A large randomized trial testing a medication review versus usual care · 2026 · DOI

  • Community pharmacists are well-placed to support ambulatory cardiovascular care; however, their contribution often remains insufficiently integrated into cardiovascular care pathways, limiting continuity, information exchange, and coordinated medication management across community, primary, and specialist care.

    Community Pharmacy Involvement in Cardiovascular Patient Follow-Up: A Conceptual Framework for Integrated Ambulatory Pharmaceutical Care · 2026 · DOI

  • Conclusion: Most participants had insufficient knowledge of oral health and adopted harmful practices.

    Periodontal Diseases Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Patients With Hypertension: A Cross‐Sectional Study in Two Hospitals in the West Region (Cameroon) · 2025 · DOI

  • However, little is known about the working relationships between pharmacies and public health entities.

    “It was a good opportunity for us to be in touch with public health”: Independent community pharmacists’ experiences working with public health before and during COVID‐19 · 2025 · DOI

  • However, no studies have evaluated pharmacy graduates' eventual career paths as compared to their initial choices when they were students.

    Pharmacy students’ initial career choices versus subsequent career paths: a cross-sectional study · 2025 · DOI

  • Objective: Although the negative effects of polypharmacy on older adults are well-documented, studies exploring its relationship with frailty and quality of life within the framework of community-based rehabilitation (CBR) remain scarce.

    Examining the Effect of Polypharmacy on Quality of Life and Frailty in Older Adults from the Perspective of Community-Based Rehabilitation · 2025 · DOI

  • Few studies have evaluated the prevalence and consequences of PIM use among older adults living in RCHEs.

    Analysis of medication management system data to determine potentially inappropriate medication use and hospitalization among older adults living in residential care homes for the elderly population · 2025 · DOI

  • However, the great majority of evidence is limited to the provision of medication reconciliation within clinical trials and countries with well-established clinical pharmacy.

    Effectiveness of pharmacist-led medication reconciliation on medication errors at hospital discharge and healthcare utilization in the next 30 days: a pragmatic clinical trial · 2024 · DOI

  • Background: Medication reconciliation can significantly reduce clinically important medication errors at hospital discharge, but its impact on post-discharge medication management has not been investigated.

    Pharmacist-led hospital intervention reduces unintentional patient-generated medication discrepancies after hospital discharge · 2024 · DOI

  • However, data on medication use and associated risks in this population remain scarce.

    Potentially Inappropriate Medication: A Pilot Study in Institutionalized Older Adults · 2024 · DOI

  • Further research and implementing strategies are warranted to enhance the quality of care and safety for older individuals exposed to polypharmacy.

    Association between polypharmacy and 2-year outcomes among Chinese older inpatients: a multi-center cohort study · 2024 · DOI

  • There is limited data on anticholinergic burden in hospitalised older adults with frailty particularly, in New Zealand.

    Anticholinergic burden and frailty in older inpatients: insights from analysis of admission and discharge medicines using four anticholinergic scales · 2024 · DOI

  • There are few studies on polypharmacy and aging in sub-Saharan Africa, and it is unclear what older people know and their attitudes toward polypharmacy.

    Knowledge, attitudes and beliefs toward polypharmacy among older people attending Family Medicine Clinic, Nairobi, Kenya · 2024 · DOI

  • However, few studies have been conducted on the safety of older-adult patients with chronic disease during the hospital to family transition period.

    Participation in medication safety of older-adult patients with chronic disease during the transition from hospital to home: a descriptive qualitative study · 2024 · DOI

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321 open questions have been extracted from the limitations and future-work passages of 1,919 Pharmaceutical Practices and Patient Outcomes papers in our library. Each one below links back to the study that raised it, so you can read the original claim in context.

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