Enhancing Clinical Decision Support Applications for Community Pharmacist-Delivered Medication Therapy Management

Purdue University, West Lafayette IN

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Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Outcomes of medication therapy management (MTM) programs have been inconsistent, which presents an opportunity to enhance the design of computerized clinical decision support (CDS) for MTM. Established human factors principles can be applied to enhance CDS, but the extent to which these evidence-based principles have been systematically applied to the design of MTM CDS is unknown. Moreover, while software usability is key for adoption and CDS effectiveness, the usability of MTM CDS has not been evaluated. Thus, there are limited data on the extent to which MTM CDS is aiding care activities or how CDS can be enhanced to promote positive patient outcomes. The specific aims of the proposed project are to: Aim 1- Evaluate the extent to which computerized clinical decision support for community pharmacist-delivered medication therapy management aligns with established human factors principles. For Aim 1, pharmacists will submit screenshots of CDS triggered during routine MTM consultations. Alignment of CDS with human factors principles will be measured quantitatively by human factors experts using a modified Instrument for Evaluating Human-Factors Principles in Medication-Related Decision Support Alerts; Aim 2- Assess the usability of medication therapy management computerized clinical decision support for community pharmacists, as well as pharmacists' perspectives on the usefulness and usability of these technologies for patient care. For Aim 2, we will record quantitative data for each CDS encountered pertaining to medication-related problems identified, clinical actions taken, and pharmacists' perceptions of MTM CDS usability. We will also conduct semi-structured interviews and naturalistic usability testing with a sample of pharmacists as they use MTM CDS in clinical practice. Collectively, our findings will inform actionable design recommendations for CDS and provide baseline data for formal usability testing of future CDS enhancements.