What is the landscape of community pharmacy technology? Critiquing contemporary digital innovation in the Australian context

Abstract

Background: Rapid introduction of technology in community pharmacy practice has created a wealth of research opportunities relating to its design, implementation and sustainability of use. Digital technologies such as electronic prescriptions, real-time prescription monitoring and electronic health systems have the capacity to improve timely access to medicines for patients and facilitate clinical decision making by community pharmacists. However, these systems were not implemented with the support of an evaluation framework tailored to pharmacy practice. Considering the unique technological needs of pharmacists, the Technology Evaluation Key could be utilized to evaluate the implementation of pharmacy-related technology in practice. Objective: This narrative review aims to describe and critique the implementation of three Australian pharmacy-related technologies using the Technology Evaluation Key. Methods: A database search of EMBASE, Medline (PubMed), ProQuest, Scopus, Web of Science, and grey literature was conducted from January 2013 to June 2023. Preliminary search terms used included “real-time prescription monitoring”, “my health record” and “electronic prescriptions.” Results: Forty-six publications described the implementation of My Health Record, Real-Time Prescription Monitoring and Electronic Prescriptions, with six evaluating the implementation of these technology systems on community pharmacists. My Health Record had the most coverage in the literature, with all the Technology Evaluation Key domains addressed in those studies. Conclusion: While technology is part of the multifaceted approach to streamlining Australia’s healthcare system, further evaluation of community pharmacists’ technological needs is warranted. This will enable an understanding of the barriers and enablers to community pharmacists’ adoption of technology and its impact on advanced practice and patient outcomes.