Impact of pharmacist-delivered interventions on pain-related outcomes: An umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses

Introduction Pain is a significant healthcare challenge, impacting millions worldwide. Pharmacists have increasingly taken on an expanded role in managing pain, particularly in primary and ambulatory care contexts. This umbrella review aims to systematically evaluate published systematic reviews (SRs) that explore the impact of pharmacist-delivered interventions on clinical, humanistic, and economic outcomes related to pain. Methods A systematic search was conducted across six electronic databases, including Ovid Embase, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus, CENTRAL, APA PsycINFO, and DARE, from inception until June 2023. Prior to inclusion, two independent reviewers assessed study titles and abstracts. Following inclusion, an assessment of the methodological quality of the included studies was conducted. AMSTAR 2 was used to evaluate the methodological quality of the included SRs. Results From 2055 retrieved titles, 11 SRs were included, with 5 out of 11 being meta-analyses. These SRs encompassed diverse pharmacist-led interventions such as education, medication reviews, and multi-component strategies targeting various facets of pain management. These findings showed favorable clinical outcomes, including reduced pain intensity, improved medication management, enhanced overall physical and mental well-being, and reduced hospitalization durations. Significant pain intensity reductions were found due to pharmacists' interventions, with standardized mean differences (SMDs) ranging from −0.76 to −0.22 across different studies and subgroups. Physical functioning improvements are observed, with SMDs ranging from −0.38 to 1.03. Positive humanistic outcomes were also observed, such as increased healthcare provider confidence, patient satisfaction, and quality of life (QoL). QoL improvements are monitored, with SMDs ranging from 0.29 to 1.03. Three SRs examined pharmacist interventions’ impact on pain-related economic outcomes, highlighting varying cost implications and the need for robust research methodologies. Conclusion This umbrella review highlights the effectiveness of pharmacist-delivered interventions in improving clinical, humanistic, and economic outcomes related to pain management. Existing evidence suggests the potential roles of pharmacists in pain management and recommends their integration into multi-disciplinary teams. Further research is needed to investigate innovative care models, such as pharmacist-independent prescribing initiatives within collaborative pain management clinics.