Implementation of electronic medication management systems in hospital settings: a theory-informed systematic review protocol of mechanisms influencing patient safety, operational efficiency and staff experience.

INTRODUCTION: Electronic medication management systems (EMMS) are central to hospital digital transformation and are intended to improve patient safety, operational efficiency and staff experience, but evidence of their impact remains fragmented, inconsistent and context-dependent. Consequently, there is an urgent need to understand how local organisational structures and complex sociotechnical factors drive successful long-term integration. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This systematic review will search MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Scopus, ABI/INFORM Collection and Business Source Premier for empirical hospital studies published from 2010 to 2026 that centrally apply a theoretical or conceptual framework. Study quality will be appraised using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) Version 2018, and a theory-informed thematic synthesis will identify implementation mechanisms and organise them into higher-order domains. This protocol has been registered with PROSPERO (CRD420261283974). ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethics approval is not required because only published data will be used. Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publication and doctoral outputs. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD420261283974.