Development and evaluation of an e-learning program on drug-related problems for community pharmacists
Introduction: Community pharmacists (CPs) are pivotal in the management of drug-related problems (DRPs), yet a need for additional training has been recognized. Aim: The aim was to develop and evaluate an e-learning program to enhance pharmacists’ ability to detect and manage DRPs. Method: The e-lea...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article (Journal) |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
25 March 2026
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| In: |
International journal of clinical pharmacy
Year: 2026, Pages: 1-10 |
| ISSN: | 2210-7711 |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s11096-026-02111-5 |
| Online Access: | Verlag, kostenfrei, Volltext: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11096-026-02111-5
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| Author Notes: | Cathrin J. Vogt, Alesia Reuther, Viktoria S. Wurmbach, Marina Weißenborn, Janina A. Bittmann, Katharina Wien, Anette Lampert, Emilia Maria Boček Eknes, Patrick Schäfer, Hanna M. Seidling |
| Summary: | Introduction: Community pharmacists (CPs) are pivotal in the management of drug-related problems (DRPs), yet a need for additional training has been recognized. Aim: The aim was to develop and evaluate an e-learning program to enhance pharmacists’ ability to detect and manage DRPs. Method: The e-learning program provided a self-paced learning experience with 10 modules, each focusing on a DRP. The DRPs were chosen as part of a previous Delphi consensus study. The development team, consisting of researchers, clinical pharmacists, and CPs, considered DRPs applicable if they occurred frequently and could be solved in a pharmacy. Moreover, a predefined checklist was established to guide the development of new modules and specify quality standards. Each module was structured into an educational phase (tutorials, pre- and post-knowledge quizzes, in-depth exercises), and a practical phase (documentation of anonymized patient encounters). After completing all modules, participants took a final comprehensive quiz with 2 questions per module (in total 20 questions). The program was evaluated on multiple levels: pharmacists’ knowledge change, how they implemented this knowledge in practice, and their feedback. Data were analyzed descriptively. Comparison between the quizzes were calculated using the Wilcoxon test. Results: A total of 203 pharmacists registered to participate in the study, with participation declining across modules (184 participants completed Module 1 pre-knowledge quiz vs. 119 in Module 10). Across all modules, a significant knowledge increase was observed when comparing pre- and post-knowledge-quizzes (p < 0.001). Knowledge levels remained high in the final quiz (on average 1.63 ± 0.61 correct answers). Participants documented 13,778 patient encounters, thereof 5073 encounters with at least one DRP. According to the participants, most of the DRPs (90.1%, n = 4550) could be resolved. A total of 1137 feedbacks were received. Overall, feedback was positive, with participants highlighting improved abilities to engage with patients (85.2%, n = 969) and to identify DRPs (82.0%, n = 629). Conclusion: By bridging the gap between theoretical learning and practical application, this e-learning program improves pharmacists’ skills in DRP management. |
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| Item Description: | Online veröffentlicht: 25. März 2026 Gesehen am 29.04.2026 |
| Physical Description: | Online Resource |
| ISSN: | 2210-7711 |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s11096-026-02111-5 |