JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Although medication reconciliation, e-prescribing, cloud-based medication records, and integrated care have led to improvements in medication management, the issues of frequent inaccuracies and losses of critical information remain unresolved, leading to avoidable harm, inefficiencies, and extra costs. Today's healthcare policies strongly advocate for collaborative approaches to medication management, emphasizing the key roles of patients and family caregivers. However, current national medication information systems restrict their direct participation and promising patient empowerment tools often fail to integrate fully within professional practices and information systems. This further emphasizes the need for shared digital medication plans (SDMPs) enabling patients and professionals to work together to ensure information access and accuracy.

Objective:

The present study aimed to determine the value propositions of a digital tool enabling patients and professionals to co-produce and co-manage medication plans within the framework of Switzerland’s national eHealth infrastructure.

Methods:

Using an experience-based co-design approach, we conducted semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and co-design workshops in French-speaking regions of Switzerland that are currently introducing shared electronic patient records. The multidisciplinary research team incorporated five patients as co-research partners. Participants included polypharmacy patients, family caregivers, and healthcare professionals. Our focus was on understanding patients’ experiences of and contributions to managing medication plans, as well as identifying the potential benefits of digital technology and the enabling mechanisms for and barriers to collaborative medication management. The co-production paradigm guided our thematic analysis.

Results:

Thirty-one individuals participated in eight interviews, five focus groups, and two co-design workshops. They identified four value propositions for involving patients and family caregivers in SDMP management: 1) streamlined access to, and updates of, comprehensive medication information, going beyond prescriptions, on a unified platform; 2) the empowerment of patients and professionals through explicitly shared responsibility, rooted in medication plan transparency and co-ownership; 3) the facilitation of collaborative and interprofessional medication management; and 4) the potential to improve quality and catalyze digital health innovations. Focus group participants explored the extent of patient involvement in editing shared information, leading to various options being discussed. They also underscored the necessity of integrating co-management into healthcare practices and the importance of supportive financial and policy conditions. Customizing SDMPs to fit individuals’ abilities and preferences was viewed as essential for fostering successful patient engagement across the entire population.

Conclusions:

SDMPs should enable joint medication management and information sharing to enhance patient–professional partnerships, thereby improving medication safety and efficiency. Digital data interoperability frameworks should embrace the complexity of medication management and be able to support different collaborative configurations. Our value propositions provide guidance for healthcare stakeholders and decision-makers striving to improve medication management. Future research should focus on implementing these value propositions and testing them empirically across various settings and with diverse professional and patient groups.