Incorporating Health Information Technology and Pharmacy Informatics in a Pharmacy Professional Didactic Curriculum -with a Team-based Learning Approach

• Published in: American journal of pharmaceutical education Vol. 80; no. 6; p. 1
• Main Authors: Hincapie, Ana L, Cutler, Timothy W, Fingado, Amanda R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Alexandria Elsevier Limited 01-07-2016
• Subjects: Active Learning; Allied Health Occupations Education; American Recovery & Reinvestment Act 2009-US; Basic Skills; Behavioral Objectives; Communication; Competence; Cooperative learning; Core curriculum; Drug stores; Electronic health records; Elementary School Students; Health education; Health informatics; Information Science; Information sources; Information technology; Internet resources; Knowledge; Management Systems; Outcomes of Education; Participative Decision Making; Patient safety; Pedagogy; Pharmaceutical Education; Pharmaceutical sciences; Pharmacists; Pharmacy; Records (Forms); Schools; Student Attitudes; Students; Teaching Methods; University colleges; Work Environment; United States > US; California
• ISSN: 0002-9459; 1553-6467

To incorporate a pharmacy informatics program in the didactic curriculum of a team-based learning institution and to assess students' knowledge of and confidence with health informatics during the course. A previously developed online pharmacy informatics course was adapted and implemented into a team-based learning (TBL) 3-credit-hour drug information course for doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) students in their second didactic year. During a period of five weeks (15 contact hours), students used the online pharmacy informatics modules as part of their readiness assurance process. Additional material was developed to comply with the TBL principles. Online pre/postsurveys were administered to evaluate knowledge gained and students' perceptions of the informatics program. Eighty-three second-year students (84% response rate) completed the surveys. Participants' knowledge of electronic health records, computerized physician order entry, pharmacy information systems, and clinical decision support was significantly improved. Additionally, their confidence significantly improved in terms of describing health informatics terminology, describing the benefits and barriers of using health information technology, and understanding reasons for systematically processing health information. Students responded favorably to the incorporation of pharmacy informatics content into a drug information course using a TBL approach. Students met the learning objectives of seven thematic areas and had positive attitudes toward the course after its completion.