RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Connecting primary care clinics and community pharmacies through a nationwide electronic prescribing network: a qualitative study
JF BMJ Health & Care Informatics
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
SP 359
OP 367
DO 10.14236/jhi.v22i3.168
VO 22
IS 3
A1 Marie-Pierre Gagnon
A1 Julie Payne-Gagnon
A1 Claude Sicotte
A1 Julie-Alexandra Langué-Dubé
A1 Aude Motulsky
YR 2015
UL http://informatics.bmj.com/content/22/3/359.abstract
AB Background The use of medication is at the heart of primary care, but is also the cause for major health concerns. It is therefore important to examine the prescription of medication process.Objective This study identifies the barriers and facilitators perceived by community pharmacists and primary care physicians concerning the adoption of a nationwide electronic prescribing (e-prescribing) network in the province of Quebec, Canada.Methods We used purposive sampling to identify the most intensive users of the e-prescribing network. We conducted phone and in-person interviews. Interviews were transcribed, and we analysed their content with NVivo, using the clinical adoption framework (CAF) for the codification of the data.Results We interviewed 33 pharmacists, 2 pharmacy technicians, 11 physicians and 3 clinic managers. Adoption of the e-prescribing network was fairly low. The respondents underlined adaptation of their work environment, openness to change and perception of benefits as facilitators to the adoption of the network. However, important barriers were perceived, including system quality issues and paper prescriptions being the only legal document in the prescribing process. Even if respondents recognised that the e-prescribing network can offer substantial benefits to the prescribing process, issues still persisted and raised barriers to the full use of such a network, especially in a context where different local information systems are connected within a nationwide e-prescribing network.Conclusion This study, based on the CAF, provides a better understanding of the factors related to the adoption of a nationwide e-prescribing network connecting primary care clinics and community pharmacies.Where this study fits in?Electronic prescribing could improve the processes related to the use and dispensation of drugs in health care, but their adoption is still poor in the North American context. Research on the topic of adoption of electronic prescribing is still limited, particularly among health professionals other than physicians. This study, based on the clinical adoption framework (CAF), provides a better understanding of the factors related to the adoption of a nationwide electronic prescribing network connecting primary care clinics and community pharmacies in the province of Quebec, Canada.