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Exploring the impact of a digital health tool on patients' interaction with community pharmacists: A pilot randomized
Bonyan Qudah1, Betty Chewning2
1Department of Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, 1685 Highland Ave, Madison, WI, 53705, USA.
Background:
The use of digital Patient- Reported Outcomes (PRO) tools has been shown to enhance the exchange of information and shared decision-making in medical encounters. However, their influence on patient-pharmacist interactions has not yet been explored.
Objectives:
This study aimed to examine the impact of RxTalk™, a digital PRO tool, in supporting the communication between patients and pharmacists compared to usual care.
Methods:
Intervention: RxTalk™ was developed to collect information about medication adherence and beliefs, using a tablet computer.
Study Design:
A pilot randomized controlled study was conducted at a community pharmacy in Wisconsin, USA. Sixty patients were randomized to either the intervention group who used RxTalk™ during medication pick-up or the control group who did not use the tool. Patients who used RxTalk™ received paper copies of their responses which were also shared with pharmacists. The consultation was audio-recorded for both groups and coded using the Active Patient Participation Coding scale. Follow-up phone interviews were conducted with both groups within one week of enrollment.
Results:
Patient tapes were analyzed. In the unadjusted model, patients in the intervention group had a higher active participation rate (p = 0.004) and raised significantly more concerns during consultations (p < 0.001) compared to the control group. Pharmacists asked twice as many questions while counseling patients in the intervention group compared to the control group (p < 0.001). After controlling for patients' demographics and pharmacists' questions, there was a statistical difference between the two patient groups in their odds of expressing at least one concern utterance.
Conclusion:
This pilot study suggests that collecting PRO from patients with chronic illnesses and providing results to pharmacists and patients can help patients express their health and medication concerns. RxTalk™ would be useful for pharmacists who wish to improve the recognition and management of medication-related problems.
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