Initiatives

Prescribing

Project: Baseline Usability Assessment
Status: Complete

This study evaluated the usability of PharmaNet in current practice today and highlighted both skilled use as well as challenges to ease of use due to design factors and user knowledge factors.

The evaluation addressed the following items:

1. System features to support providers in assessing a patient’s condition and accurately review their medication profile
2. Usability challenges that prevent providers in assessing a patient’s condition and accurately review their medication profile
3. Challenges/barriers, from a user’s perspective, to using the current system
4. Recommendations to support ongoing training programs for system users

Providers were recruited from multiple professions and specialities to take part in simulated patient scenarios using the system and answer follow-up questions. Analysis of recordings was done to determine usability challenges.

A paper has been published on this study. This work was funded through the College of Pharmacists of BC.

 

Project: Baseline Evaluation of PharmaNet through comparison with Best-Possible Medication Histories taken during Medication Reconciliation Process
Status: Complete

This study evaluated the quality of medication profiles within the system. It determined the types of gaps/errors and assess potential clinical significance of gaps/errors.

The evaluation addressed the following items:

1. Comparison of current medication profiles (medication and allergies) to gold standard Best Possible Medication History for complex patients
2. Type and frequency of clinically significant gaps/errors in the medication profile
3. Safely streamlining the medication reconciliation process

Patients were recruited and data collected as part of the normal care practices during the medication reconciliation process to capture Best Possible Medication Histories. These were then compared to extracted medication profiles to review and categorize discrepancies.

A paper has been published on this study. This work was funded through the College of Pharmacists of BC.

 

Project: Pharmacist and Physician Communication Workflow Modeling
Status: Complete

This study described and evaluated current benchmark communication patterns between patients, physicians and pharmacists related to safe medication management.

The evaluation addressed the following items:

1. Necessary communication patterns amongst members of a patient’s Circle of Care to safely manage medications for patients with chronic conditions
2. Current system support for information flow
3. Future system support for communication

A combination of interviews/focus groups and observations were used to assess communication patterns for medication workflows between patients, pharmacists, and physicians. Patient personas and interview questions available here.

A publication is forthcoming. This work was funded through the College of Pharmacists of BC.

Project: Medication Communication Phase 2
Status: In Progress

We are now working on a second phase of the above medication communication study to improve communication of medication information at key transition points. The objectives are to:

1. Describe, evaluate, and model actual and best practice medication communication activities at points of transition;
2. Recommend changes that could lead to improved medication communication at points of transition; and
3. Test changes in communication and coordination to support better medication continuity through points of transition.

Graduate Student Thesis: Evaluating the Adoption of Electronic Prescribing in Primary Care
Status: Complete

As part of her MSc degree program, Gurprit Randhawa completed a study to examine the adoption of e-prescribing by primary care physicians in the Cowichan Valley. Her thesis is available here. This work was supported by the CIHR/Infoway eHealth Chair Award.