Developing and user testing new pharmacy label formats—A study to inform labelling standards

Background Dispensed prescription medicine labels (prescription labels) are important information sources supporting safe and appropriate medicines use. Objective To develop and user test patient-centred prescription label formats. Methods Five stages: developing 12 labels for four fictitious medicines of varying dosage forms; diagnostic user testing of labels (Round 1) with 40 consumers (each testing three labels); iterative label revision, and development of Round 2 labels (n = 7); user testing of labels (Round 2) with 20 consumers (each testing four labels); labelling recommendations. Evaluated labels stated the active ingredient and brand name, using various design features (eg upper case and bold). Dosing was expressed differently across labels: frequency of doses/day, approximate times of day (eg morning), explicit times (eg 7 to 9 AM), and/or explicit dosing interval. Participants’ ability to find and understand medicines information and plan a dosing schedule were assessed. Results Participants demonstrated satisfactory ability to find and understand the dosage for all label formats. Excluding active ingredient and dosing schedule, 14/19 labels (8/12 in Round 1; 6/7 in Round 2) met industry standard on performance. Participants’ ability to correctly identify the active ingredient varied, with clear medicine name sign-posting enabling all participants evaluating these labels to find and understand the active ingredient. When planning a dosing schedule, doses were correctly spaced if the label stated a dosing interval, or frequency of doses/day. Two-thirds planned appropriate dosing schedules using a dosing table. Conclusions Effective prescription label formatting and sign-posting of active ingredient improved communication of information on labels, potentially supporting safe medicines use. Patient and Public Involvement Consumers actively contributed to the development of dispensed prescription medicine labels. Feedback from consumers following the first round was incorporated in revisions of the labels for the next round. Patient and public involvement in this study was critical to the development of readable and understandable dispensed prescription medicine labels

Live and learn: Utilizing MyDispense to increase student knowledge and confidence in caring for patients with diverse religious backgrounds

BACKGROUND: The American Council for Pharmacy Education outlines that pharmacists should be able to “recognize social determinants of health to diminish disparities and inequities in access to quality care.” This randomized, cross-sectional study assessed students' knowledge and confidence in caring for patients with diverse religious backgrounds. Students were assigned to either a series of religious cases created in MyDispense or a control group to read a pamphlet on religious considerations in patient care. IMPACT: First-year pharmacy students, 44 of 82 (response rate 53.7 %), consented to participate in an optional study, and were randomized to complete one of two religious educational interventions: an interactive simulation activity delivered via MyDispense (n = 23) or the control group of reading an educational pamphlet (n = 21). Both the MyDispense simulation and the control group improved pre- and post-assessment knowledge-based questions and confidence to achieve the three learning objectives. RECOMMENDATIONS: There were three significant limitations to this study. The first was the use of a control group that limited the sample sizes making it difficult to show meaningful changes. The second that students had limited experience with the MyDispense platform making the ease of completing the active-learning religious simulations confounded by also learning the dispensing system. Finally, control group students utilized the pamphlet during the post-assessment, which was not the intention of the study design and significantly limited the ability to identify changes within and between the groups. DISCUSSION: Future studies will need to use alternative study design methods to determine how religious cultural sensitivity may best be incorporated into the pharmacy curriculum