Determining essential elements and functionalities for a patient record system in community pharmacy

As community-based pharmacy continues to evolve from a focus on product distribution to a practice focused on patient care, a key requirement is for pharmacists to document their patient care activities. Some community-based pharmacies are working to routinely use the Pharmacist eCare Plan standard in documenting their new care activities.

With the need for a robust patient record in community-based pharmacies, the purpose of this study was to identify key elements and functionalities for a community-based pharmacy patient record.

An expert panel of 26 individuals participated in 3 rounds of surveys using an online Delphi method to develop consensus about the key data elements and functionalities for a pharmacy patient record system.

A total of 46 items reached consensus: 16 as essential elements for a longitudinal pharmacy patient record, 7 as essential elements for a patient encounter, and 23 functionalities for a pharmacy patient record system. A rubric was developed to assess community-based pharmacy patient record systems.

The functionalities can support pharmacists in fully adopting a standard care process and providing and documenting patient care, while coordinating and improving communication with patients, providers, and payers. Pharmacists are encouraged to use the rubric in evaluating software for their practices.