Pharmacy informatics

Venn diagram of health informatics areas

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Introduction

See also Apple iPhone3GS for physicians | eHealth | Health Informatics | UBC Pharmacy Handout 2011

The discipline of pharmacy informatics is focussed on medication-related data and knowledge in a continuum of healthcare systems - including acquisition, storage, analysis, use and dissemination - by delivering medication-related patient care and health outcomes. The pharmacy informaticist focuses on applying technology to support, streamline and improve workflow and patient safety. PI is the study of interactions between people, their work processes and health systems with a focus on pharmaceutical care and patient safety. Pharmacy informaticists work with information management systems to help pharmacists make informed decisions for their patients.

Professional associations and licensing bodies in the United States and Canada cite informatics as a set of highly-valued competencies for pharmacists. How can pharmacy students acquire informatics skills? What part do libraries play in teaching these skills? In the U.S., health libraries increasingly support informatics programs. Medical informatics offers many opportunities for health librarians who want to participate in health programs; sub-specialties include health informatics and nursing informatics. Schools and faculties participating in the development of new pharmacy informatics programs should seek the input of health educators, students and health librarians.

Most faculties of pharmacy appreciate the support provided by librarians. Many health librarians have taught pharmacy students how to use the Library for decades. And with newer roles emerging for academic health sciences librarians in problem-based and case-based programmes, pharmacy librarians are in good company. In Canada, best practice varies with health librarians participating in cases or taking more defined roles. Librarian involvement depends on available resources and funding. Health librarians assume important roles in new health programmes. The types of support they provide is organized along traditional or newer services:

Traditional library support

1. Assistance online, in-library (ie. at reference and information desks) and as requested
2. Instruction at the reference desk, or by appointment
3. Information management & use of library websites
4. Course-integrated instruction and online tutorials
5. Liaising with faculty and students; group facilitation.

Reference services

Health librarians provide reference services to pharmacy students and faculty via face-to-face and digital services. Increasingly, virtual reference is provided by health librarians via remote chat and instant messaging technologies. On-demand reference services are focussed on individuals as opposed to groups of users. Typical questions include how to find digital resources, searching medical databases and other electronic collections. Instruction is often provided as a one-on-one service, though some consultation services are provided to students to meet their needs as defined by the reference interview. Occasionally, appointments are made with other specific subject specialist librarians.

Print and digital collections

Academic libraries provide print and electronic access to collections. However, the trend favours electronic access over print. Most pharmacy librarians collaborate with collections librarians in building their pharmacy-related collections. Other health librarians are available to help with selection and acquisition of required titles, electronic journals and databases to support the programs. As a related, complementary activity, pharmacy librarians teach students how to access and use pharmacy databases as required.

Instruction

An efficient and effective method for teaching library and information skills is the computer lab. The "curriculum-integrated" mode of delivery is most desirable because it is geared to student needs. Information literacy is an effective means of faculty and librarian collaboration. Some projects include librarian team-teaching with faculty, web-based learning tutorials and integrating librarians into case-based programs. Online tutorials can be tailored to new pharmacy courses (i.e. accessible anywhere, anytime). Follow-up hands – on sessions can be offered and scheduled to reinforce learning objectives. New programs in pharmacy offer a unique opportunity for the librarian to collaborate with faculty. Librarians have participated in a number of committees as the appropriate librarian in meeting with faculty can listen to information needs and bring them forward.

Informatics webites

Mobile devices such as the Apple iPhone3GS are used to monitor patients, browse online sources of information and check dosing. For example, http://www.pdamd.com and http://www.healthypalmpilot.com are useful clinical applications. The integration of technology targeted at solving information management problems may be of benefit.

• Informatics Review http://www.informatics-review.com
• International Journal of Medical Informatics http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/506040/description
• Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association http://www.jamia.org

Information literacy efforts

The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) states that "information literacy is the ability to locate, evaluate and use information effectively”. Many libraries have made a commitment to IL efforts in strategic planning and program design. Further, librarians strive to "support scholarly activity and academic life-long learning" and provide information assistance as needed (ie. how to find a book, connect to an online resource) and in library workshops as requested by faculty (ie. how to find/use information resources to support teaching, learning and research). Students learn these skills from librarians at reference desks and in librarian-led workshops. Certain skills are self-taught through self-pacing web-based tutorials. In many pharmacy programs, students are required “to develop critical thinking and evidence-based skills” and use information and sources efficiently. The exact type of library workshop required to support pharmacy informatics programs is determined in consultation with faculty.

Association websites

• American Council on Pharmaceutical Education – Standards
• Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) - Medical Informatics Objectives http://www.aamc.org/meded/
• Association of Faculties of Pharmacy in Canada – Background Papers/Standards http://www.afpc.info/
• International Pharmaceutical Students Association. Pharmacy education: A vision for the future. http://www.ipsf.org/
• Association of College and Research Libraries. Information Literacy Competency Standards. Information Literacy Defined.
• American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy. Resources – Reports.
• National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities. Assessing Canadian Pharmacists' Competencies at Entry-to-Practice Through Structured Practical Training.