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As the most accessible health professionals, community pharmacists' clinical knowledge and medicine expertise make them well placed to undertake professional services such as prescribing. All models of pharmacist prescribing can be supported by health information communication technology (ICT). However, no published research has explored pharmacists' technological needs when undertaking prescribing and other clinical services.In this paper we explore community pharmacists' ICT needs when undertaking prescribing and related services.We conducted semi-structured interviews with practicing Australian community pharmacists, using an interview guide informed by a systematic scoping review.Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed thematically using descriptive classification.Interviews were conducted with 24 Australian community pharmacists from diverse locations, practice backgrounds and settings.Their identified technological needs for prescribing were classified as support for 'clinical decision making ', 'communication', 'documentation', 'referral', and 'monitoring'.Pharmacists reported lack of interoperability between systems as the most significant ICT shortfall for prescribing.There is room to improve the functionality and integration of ICT systems to ensure Australian pharmacists are technologically supported to undertake all roles within the prescribing process.Software developers and vendors should ensure existing and future ICT is contemporaneous with the needs of users.
Ogundipe et al. (Wed,) studied this question.