Participation in an ambulatory e-pharmacovigilance system

Area of Science:

• Pharmacovigilance
• Health Informatics
• Public Health

Background:

• Passive surveillance methods may not adequately detect adverse drug events (ADEs).
• There is a need for systematic monitoring of symptoms in ambulatory patients.
• Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) offers a potential solution for proactive pharmacovigilance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate the reach of an IVRS for monitoring symptoms in ambulatory patients on specific medications.
• To assess differences in the ability to contact and engage diverse patient populations using IVRS.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of e-pharmacovigilance in a real-world clinical setting.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional IVRS survey, termed 'e-pharmacovigilance,' was administered to eligible patients.
• Patients were prescribed one of 31 target medications across 11 clinics.
• A follow-up survey was conducted after 3 months for patients still on the target medication.

Main Results:

• 902 patients participated, representing 43.3% of contacted patients.
• Older patients (>66 years) were more likely to participate than younger ones (56-65 years).
• Hispanics and individuals from low-income communities were less likely to participate compared to whites and those in high-income communities.

Conclusions:

• IVRS technology is a viable tool for ambulatory e-pharmacovigilance.
• The system demonstrates broad patient reach, particularly engaging older individuals.
• Further research may be needed to address participation disparities in certain demographic groups.