Moving towards a national electronic shared medication list in Norway – present and future roles and responsibilities in the medication reconciliation process

Background Electronic prescriptions were implemented in Norway in 2013. Healthcare professionals still struggle to keep medication lists updated, however national Shared Electronic Medication Lists (SML) are currently under implementation. This pre-implementation study explores health professionals’ perception of present challenges, trust and responsibility in the medication reconciliation process – and how this may be solved in the future SML. Research questions were: What are perceived impacts of SML? How will SML shift responsibilities and roles amongst nurses, physicians, and pharmacists? How can SML improve accuracy and efficiency of medication reconciliation?Method We conducted qualitative interviews in hospitals in 2022 of physicians (n = 6), pharmacists (n = 7), and nurses (n = 3), prior to the implementation of SML.Results and discussion Three primary themes emerged: Shift in professional roles and responsibilities regarding medication reconciliation; Lack of trust; and Expectations regarding the SML. We identified a discrepancy in the significance attributed to the SML. Further, they emphasize the need for better role allocation and express a skepticism as to whether the SML will solve the challenges to achieve an accurate and updated medication list. All experienced difficulties today in accessing all electronic sources with either prescriptions or medical information. Expectations of what SML will solve were high, but also realistic.