This study aimed to examine and compare the perceptions of older adult patients and healthcare providers regarding the utilization of computer-generated written medication reminders as a means of communicating medication information for post-discharge self-management. The findings of this study revealed that healthcare providers expressed moderate satisfaction with the implementation of this technology-based communication tool, particularly in terms of its information clarity and adequacy, usefulness to patients and daily work, and overall experiences. However, the results indicated that patients who received the written summary reported an improved perception of information adequacy regarding side effects and warnings compared to patients who did not receive this service. Furthermore, there was a significant improvement in the perceived clarity and usefulness of information on warnings among patients who received the services. When comparing the ratings of this service, a notable discrepancy emerged between patients and healthcare providers. Older adult patients tended to provide higher ratings in terms of information clarity, usefulness of the service, and overall experience compared to providers. However, they expressed a desire for more information to be provided by PDIS than providers.
When examining the ratings regarding the amount of information provided through this service, patients consistently assigned significantly lower scores compared to providers. This finding may be attributed to the PDIS database design directed by healthcare providers, who often refrain from providing as much information as patients desire, as they may have concerns regarding the potential negative consequences of sharing information on side effects. Such concerns include the possibility of overwhelming patients with excessive information, which could lead to anxiety and non-compliance (22–24). However, our study did not find evidence supporting the notion that providing such information negatively impacts patient compliance, which aligns with the findings of other studies (25). Nonetheless, the improved rating of overall medication information adequacy from the perspective of patients may suggest that the information gap regarding medication side effects has been narrowed through the provision of these services. Previous studies have proposed a potential strategy of providing information on medication effects and benefits, alongside side effects, in order to counterbalance the potential negative impact of risk information (26, 27).
This study did not observe any evidence indicating an improvement in the clarity of information regarding side effects and warnings among older adult patients who received the service. This finding can be partly attributed to the characteristic of the older adult population, which is known to have relatively low health literacy levels, thus potentially impacting their understanding of medication risk information (28, 29). In comparison to patients, staff members assigned significantly lower scores in terms of the clarity of information provided through PDIS. This discrepancy may also be explained by the staff's awareness of the challenges related to the health literacy of older adults, as suggested by a previous study (30). Previous research has demonstrated that employing strategies such as utilizing lay language, employing shorter sentences, and providing visual aids alongside verbal descriptions of side effects can assist patients in comprehending the level of risk (31).
This study has obtained evidence suggesting that the usefulness of information has improved among older patients who received this service, and patients assigned a higher rating to this aspect compared to providers. A previous systematic review concluded that patients perceived written medication information as valuable when making decisions regarding the necessity of seeking professional assistance (32). This empowerment enables patients to take responsibility for their own care. The relatively lower rating of usefulness from the provider's perspective could be explained by considerations of the credibility of the sources providing medication risk information. Prior research suggests that physicians prefer to prioritize side effects based on their own judgment and may not consider written information as more effective than counseling (33). It has been suggested that relying solely on written information about medication side effects may be insufficient. Combining the use of PDIS with counseling services could have a synergistic effect, enhancing the effectiveness of information transmission (34–36). Employing multidisciplinary coordination involving physicians, nurses, and pharmacists could facilitate the more appropriate management of medication risk communication (33).
A significant enhancement in satisfaction with discharge medication information was identified among older adult patients who utilized the service. This finding aligns with previous studies that have reported similar results (37, 38). However, caution must be exercised when interpreting this outcome, as older adults tend to exhibit higher satisfaction levels with the medication information they receive compared to younger individuals (39). This may be attributed to the fact that older adults are often in a culture where the authority of providers is less challenged (40). It is important to note that the high satisfaction rating might obscure potential unmet individual preferences. Prior research has advocated for the provision of personalized information regarding medication side effects (41). However, delivering information tailored to each patient's specific needs may not always be feasible in a clinical setting. Future studies should be conducted to explore how to strike a balance between work efficiency and meeting patient needs when delivering such services. Additionally, our findings indicate that older adult patients assigned significantly higher ratings to the overall experience of this service compared to healthcare providers. This observation can be inferred from the relatively higher ratings in terms of information adequacy, clarity, and usefulness. Qualitative comments revealed that negative opinions were more frequently expressed by healthcare providers, particularly regarding the design of the PDIS system, such as its user-friendliness and information quality, which is consistent with findings from other studies (42–44). Furthermore, our study identified additional aspects, including concerns about environmental friendliness, duplication with other discharge documents, and the absence of a patient follow-up plan.
This study possesses several notable strengths. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first study to examine and compare the perceptions of older adult patients and healthcare providers regarding the utilization of large-scale technology-based discharge communication tools. This valuable contribution enriches the existing evidence base concerning the advantages associated with computer-generated written medication reminders for discharge education. Furthermore, the recruitment of a study sample from multiple hospitals across a wide geographic area underscores the robustness and generalizability of our findings. This study has several limitations that should be acknowledged. Firstly, the reliance on self-reported survey data introduces the possibility of inaccuracies due to social desirability bias. However, by including participants from diverse backgrounds, we aimed to mitigate this limitation to some extent. Secondly, our study did not incorporate patient outcomes as a common metric for evaluating the effectiveness of the program because our primary objective was to explore and compare the experiences of patients and staff regarding the utilization of technology-based communication tools. Given the positive experiences reported by patients, future studies could be conducted to investigate the clinical outcomes in order to enrich the evidence base. Lastly, the cross-sectional design employed in this study limits our ability to establish causal inferences regarding the factors that potentially influence staff's inconsistent use of the PDIS. Subsequent studies utilizing longitudinal or experimental designs are warranted to explore the causal mechanism underlying variations in staff behavior and to design effective strategies that can enhance their performance.