Record Management Practices: A Comparative Systematic Literature Review of the Healthcare and Pharmaceutical Sector

This systematic literature review focuses on record management practices in the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors. This study aims to compare current practices, key regulatory requirements and challenges in record management practices in both sectors. The review draws upon the results of 27 papers (2016-2026) that were obtained via ScienceDirect, Google Scholar and Scopus. Based on the research questions, the study aims to investigate the current record management practices in the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors and the key challenges associated with record management within both sectors. The findings reveal that record management serves as the backbone for accountability, transparency and informed decision-making within both sectors. Similarities found in the current practices of record management within these two sectors are that both sectors are currently undergoing a significant shift toward digitization to improve efficiency. However, the pharmaceutical sector shows a more structured implementation compared to the healthcare sector. In addition to this, several distinctions on the current record management practices have been identified involving the type of record created and maintained, the focus, the system as well as the regulatory framework that governs both sectors. In conjunction with challenges, both sectors face similar challenges such as data integrity and accuracy, resources and infrastructure constraints, human factors as well as security and compliance. As for specific-factor challenges, the healthcare sector faces interoperability issues hindering the seamless data flow while the pharmaceutical sector struggles with the underreporting of Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs). To conclude, while both practice efficient record management practices, the different nature of both businesses leads to variations in record type, focus, systems, regulations and challenges. Effective record management is significant for an organization's performance and compliance.

Record management, current practices, regulations, challenges, healthcare

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