Is Internet-based Medication Information Provided by Patients Beneficial for Pharmacists?

Researchers recently aimed to better understand pharmacist experience linked with the use of internet-based medication provided by their patients. According to findings published online in PLoS One, pharmacists felt that although the use of this internet data was beneficial, it also had a negative impact.  

“The credibility and the reliability of internet webpages to seek medication-related information is questionable,” the study authors wrote. “The main objective of the current study was to evaluate perception and experience of pharmacists with the use of internet-based medication information by their patients.”   

The study authors conducted a cross-sectional descriptive study that evaluated both the perception and experience of pharmacists who used internet-based medication information provided by patients.  

The study authors approached 200 pharmacists for the study, and 161 pharmacists participated. Of the participants, 129 reported that they received inquiries from patients regarding internet-based medication information within the last year.  

According to the findings, only 22.6% (n=29) of pharmacists included felt that internet-based data is either somewhat or very accurate.  

“Unfortunately, only 24.2% (n = 31) of them stated that they always had enough time for their patient to discuss their Internet-based medication information,” they explained.  

Further findings suggest that more than half of the pharmacists included in the study thought this information gather via the internet could increase the patient’s role in taking responsibility. However, the other half of the pharmacists included in the study felt the information gathered through the internet could contribute to rising health care costs by obtaining unnecessary patient information.

The final findings of the study showed that the education levels of pharmacists affected their perception scores toward patient use of internet-based medication information—those with higher education level showed lower perception score.  

“Although pharmacists felt that usage of internet-based data by patients is beneficial, they also have believed that it has a negative impact in terms of rising the healthcare cost, and it promotes unnecessary fear or concern about medications,” they concluded.  

“We suggest that pharmacists be trained on principles of critical appraisal to become professional in retrieval information on the Internet that might improve their delivery of health care information and their recommendations to patients.” 

Reference:

Alefishat E, Abu Farha R, Zawiah M. Pharmacists' perceptions of the use of internet-based medication information by patients: A cross-sectional survey. PLoS One. 2021;16(8):e0256031. Published 2021 Aug 13. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0256031