Evaluating the Effectiveness of the Computer-Based Education Platform, Pharmacy5in5, on Pharmacists’ Knowledge of Anticholinergic Toxicity Using a Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Computer-based education has been widely implemented in healthcare professional development education. However, there has been little examination of the potential for computer-based education to enhance pharmacists’ knowledge. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of computer-based education on improving pharmacists’ knowledge compared to printed education material. Methods: This study was a web-based randomized controlled trial. Participants were randomly allocated to either an intervention group where they had access to the computer-based education module on Pharmacy5in5.ca or to a control group where they had access to printed educational material. Knowledge gain was assessed using a pre- and post-knowledge test. Results: A total of 120 pharmacists were recruited and 101 completed the post-knowledge test (50/60 in the intervention group; 51/60 in the control group). Both groups showed a significant increase in knowledge gain (intervention group: pre-test mean score 19.35 ± 3.56, post-test mean score 22.42 ± 3.812, p value < 0.001; control group pre-test mean score 19.22 ± 3.45, post-test mean score 23.29 ± 3.087, p value < 0.001). However, the difference in knowledge change was not significant between the two groups (22.42 vs. 23.29, p value = 0.333). Conclusions: In this study, a computer-based education module enhanced pharmacists’ knowledge to a similar degree to printed education material. Efforts should be made to provide computer-based education as an option to support pharmacists’ professional development.

Assessing Performance and Engagement on a Computer-Based Education Platform for Pharmacy Practice

A computer-based education platform was developed using a theory-based approach to help Canadian pharmacy professionals adopt their full scope of practice. Data from the platform were used to identify factors that impacted user performance and engagement. A de-identified dataset included response data for 21 unique modules, including quiz responses and self-reflection questions. Outcome measures included user performance (mean quiz score) and engagement (completion rate for attempted modules). Analysis of variance (ANOVA), multivariate regression modelling, and machine learning cluster analysis were used to analyze the data. Of the 5290 users, 68% were pharmacists, 11% were technicians, 13% were pharmacy students, and 8% were pharmacy technician students. Four clusters were identified separately for pharmacists and technicians. Clusters with the higher performance and engagement tended to have more users practicing in community pharmacies while the lower performing clusters tended have more internationally trained users. In the regression modelling, pharmacists performed better than technicians and students while students were more engaged (p < 0.0001). Further, internationally trained pharmacists had slightly lower scores but similar engagement compared to domestically trained pharmacists (p < 0.0001). Users demonstrated higher performance on modules related to scope of practice than on clinical topics, and were most engaged with topics directly impacting daily practice such as influenza vaccinations and new and emerging subjects such as cannabis. The cluster analysis suggests that performance and engagement with a computer-based educational platform in pharmacy may be more related to place of practice than to personal demographic factors such as age or gender.