A Web-Based Tool to Report Adverse Drug Reactions by Community Pharmacists in Australia: Usability Testing Study (Preprint)

Abstract

BACKGROUND Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are unintended and harmful events related to medication use. Documenting and reporting ADRs to regulators are important for post-marketing surveillance, quality improvements and drug safety research, but they are vastly underreported. Improving digital-based communication of ADR information to regulators and among care providers could better support patient safety. OBJECTIVE This article describes the usability evaluation of a commercial web-based ADR reporting system with community pharmacists (CPs) in Australia. METHODS We developed a structured interview protocol that combined virtual observation, think-aloud moderating technique, and retrospective questioning of the overall user experience, including using of the System Usability Scale (SUS). Thematic analysis was used to analyse field notes from the interviews. RESULTS A total of 7 CPs participated in the study. The system was perceived to have above average usability (SUS 68.57). However, the structured approach to usability testing identified specific functional and user interpretation issues that could of be easily overlooked by the results of the SUS. The use of design elements such as a, drop-down menu, free-text entry, checkbox and pre-filled/ auto-populated data fields were perceived to be useful for system navigation and facilitating ADR reporting. CONCLUSIONS It is important to ensure that technology solutions such as the one discussed in this article are designed with CPs in mind, to meet their information needs. It may be essential for developers to adopt a structured approach to usability testing in the developmental phase. A structured approach to systems usability testing may support the adoption of ADR reporting systems by CPs and improve patient safety.