The use of handheld computers for accessing medical mobile applications and investigative tools (MAP-IT) among pharmacists

Background and Aims: Handheld computers such as smartphones and tablets are providing a variety of drug information applications to assist pharmacist’s decision making in the clinical and hospital setting (1). The current study aimed to assess the use of electronic drug information resources via handheld computers by pharmacists in Malaysia using the newly developed Medical Mobile Applications and Investigative Tools (MAP-IT). This study also aimed to investigate the pharmacists’ perception towards the drug information content and functions of mobile medical applications.

Summary of work: A convenience sampling method was adopted to invite pharmacists (N=450) working in various sectors such as hospitals, drug approval authority, and academia to participate in this online survey. A 36-item questionnaire was administered and data were summarised and presented using descriptive statistics.

Outcomes: The response rate to this survey was 49.8% (n=224). Overall, 213 respondents (95.1%) were active handheld computers users in their daily clinical practice. About 194 respondents (86.6%) disclosed that they often use handheld computers for searching DI. Dosage recommendations (n=198; 88.4%), adverse drug reactions (n=153; 68.3%), and drug interactions (n=146; 65.2%) were the most common drug information retrieved. Meanwhile, general dosage recommendation, paediatric dosage recommendation and dosage recommendation for renal failure were ranked as the most important drug information in mobile medical applications. Gaining access to the latest information on drugs and clinical practice were regarded as the most important functions of the mobile medical app.

Discussion and conclusion: The function of the medical applications to access the latest drug information and clinical update is the most important feature because it may help the health professional for their continuous medical education (2). In addition, pharmacist needs to calculate drug dosages correctly for safe and clinically effective pharmaceutical care practice. Furthermore, they also need to search for evidence based literature in order to help them in their clinical practice (3). These are crucial considering the increasing number of geriatric patients, patients with impaired kidney and liver functions that predispose them to polypharmacy and complications of drug interactions (4). The findings from this study highlight that dosage recommendations, adverse drug reactions and drug interaction are the most commonly searched drug information. In addition, Micromedex, Lexicomp and Medscape are the most popular medical applications among the respondents. The latter is especially used to reaffirm the clinical recommendations in the top three areas of dosage recommendations, adverse drug reactions and drug interactions in order to enable individual patient information to be integrated with synthesised research evidence, and facilitate decision making at the point of care.

References:

1. Khan TM and Hadi MA (2014). Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning 6: 284-288.

2. Boulos MN et al. (2014). Online Journal of Public Health Informatics 5: e229-253.

3. Genevieve LN et al. (2014). Annals of Pharmacotherapy 48: 1392-1393.

4. Slaper MR and Conkol K (2014). Pediatric Annals 43: e39-43.

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