Perceptions of community pharmacists to implementing technologies in the workplace: an exploratory study

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Practice
• Health Informatics
• Technology Adoption

Background:

• Technological advancements are transforming pharmacy roles and workflows.
• Workplace integration of technology offers benefits but faces implementation challenges.
• Limited research exists on pharmacists' perceptions of these emerging technologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore community pharmacists' views on implementing new technologies in pharmacy practice.
• To understand pharmacists' experiences and confidence with current and future pharmacy technologies.

Main Methods:

• Semi-structured interviews with 20 community pharmacists in Auckland, New Zealand.
• Exploration of current medication management, technology use, and perceived needs.
• Inductive thematic analysis of qualitative interview data.

Main Results:

• Pharmacists generally accept technology for medication management and enhancing patient-centered care.
• Confidence in learning and using new technologies is high among surveyed pharmacists.
• Identified barriers include cost, medication error concerns, fear of job displacement, and over-reliance on technology.

Conclusions:

• Community pharmacists utilize various technologies, including robotics, for medication management.
• While receptive to streamlining tasks and reducing errors, addressing implementation barriers is crucial.
• Proactive strategies are needed to overcome identified barriers before widespread technology adoption in pharmacies.