Text automation tool to improve pharmacist productivity and work capacity in a digital hospital: a pilot study

Abstract

Hospitals and health services are increasingly using digital systems to improve medication safety. Yet, despite many gains, negative user experiences and increased documentation time have been recognised as the main barriers to successful adoption of an electronic medication management (EMM) system in routine practice. The objective of this study was to describe the results of a preliminary trial in which clinical pharmacists used a customised pharmacist text and reference automation tool (PARAT). The clinic pharmacist then completed a survey to determine if they found that the tool affected their productivity or documentation consistency when used with an EMM system. Fifteen pharmacists completed the training, the four-week trial, and the follow-up survey. The main outcome measure was self-reported clinical pharmacist productivity and user experience. Overall, they indicated that PARAT had a positive impact on their productivity, work capacity and the EMM user experience. Fourteen (93.3%) participants indicated that the tool was either ‘easy to use’ or ‘easy to use – training required’. No participant stated that the tool was hard to use. Agreement was highest with the statements that PARAT improved clinical workflow and improved clinical work capacity (mean of 4.1). Automation of text creation for common intervention recording was listed as second most useful among participants. The findings from this study demonstrate that PARAT is acceptable to pharmacists and is likely to enhance clinical pharmacist workflows.