Abstract / Summary
Objectives: This study aimed to synthesize evidence on the clinical and economic outcomes of designated ward pharmacist services in South Korea, assess the certainty of available evidence, and identify current research gaps and methodological limitations to inform directions for future research.Methods: A systematic search of five electronic databases identified 22 eligible studies published between January 2010 and February 2026, comprising 12 comparative studies and 10 cross-sectional analyses.Evidence certainty was assessed using the GRADE methodology.Results: Designated pharmacist interventions demonstrated positive clinical trends, including reductions in inappropriate prescribing, decreased 30-day readmission rates, and improved pain management.Physician acceptance rates for these interventions ranged from 78.7 to 98.5%, with significant increases observed in most comparative studies.However, lower acceptance rates were reported in specific patient populations (54.4-68.5%),such as those with renal impairment or hematologic conditions, suggesting that patient characteristics may influence acceptance.Regarding healthcare provider perception, clinician awareness and satisfaction regarding ward pharmacist services were high, ranging from 89.9 to 91.3% and 70.0 to 79.7%, respectively.Despite reported cost-reduction trends across nine studies, inconsistent methods and omitted labor costs limited definitive conclusions.Conclusion: Designated ward pharmacists have potential to act as vital cognitive assets in enhancing medication safety and economic benefits.Nevertheless, GRADE evidence certainty remains low to very low, constrained by non-randomized single-center designs.Standardized, prospective research is warranted to support expanded implementation.