Identifying Concerns in Arizona with the Inclusion of the Indication or Reason for Use on the Prescription through Focus Groups

Abstract

Objectives: To identify stakeholder concerns regarding a potential requirement that all prescriptions include the reason for use or indication. Methods: This was a mixed methods study that employed focus groups. Participants were invited by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Arizona Pharmacy Association (AzPA) to attend focus groups via webinar. E-mail invites were sent to AzPA members and members of Arizona healthcare professional associations with prescriptive authority except for prescribers who care for animals. The discussion began with a PowerPoint presentation and then questions were presented to guide discussion. Afterwards, questionnaires were distributed through e-mail. Interval level data were analyzed using means and standard deviations. The commentary of the focus group discussion was summarized in themes. Results: Preliminary findings, from two focus groups with a total of seven participants, reflected the following concerns with the inclusion of the indication on prescriptions: compromise of patient privacy; technology capabilities; prescriber time; prescriber compliance; and prior authorization complications. The proposed benefits were: enhanced communication; better medication counseling; reduced prescribing errors; decreased controlled substance diversion; and increased accuracy of a prospective drug use review by pharmacists for patients with complicated disease states. Conclusions: In conclusion, stakeholders were concerned with the implementation of including the indication on prescription orders.