JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Effective symptom identification, a key responsibility for community pharmacists, requires patients to describe their symptoms accurately and comprehensively. However, current practices in pharmacies may be insufficient in capturing patient-reported symptoms comprehensively, potentially To construct a new, hierarchical symptom list derived from the Patient-Friendly Term List of the MedDRA® and to develop and evaluate a mobile application incorporating this list for facilitating symptom reporting by patients in pharmacy settings. The study also aimed to assess the usability and acceptance of this application among potential users.affecting the quality of pharmaceutical care and patient safety.

Objective:

To construct a new, hierarchical symptom list derived from the Patient-Friendly Term List of the MedDRA® and to develop and evaluate a mobile application incorporating this list for facilitating symptom reporting by patients in pharmacy settings. The study also aimed to assess the usability and acceptance of this application among potential users.

Methods:

Subjective symptom-related terms were extracted from the Patient-Friendly Term List version 23.0 of the Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities (MedDRA®). These terms were systematically consolidated and organized into a hierarchical, user-friendly symptom list. A mobile application incorporating this list was developed for pharmacy settings, featuring a symptom-selection interface and free-text input field for additional symptoms. The application included an instructional video explaining the importance of symptom reporting and guidance on navigation. Usability tests and semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants aged over 20 years. Interview transcripts were analyzed using the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model to evaluate factors influencing the acceptance of technology.

Results:

From the initial 1,440 terms in the Patient-Friendly Term List, 795 relevant terms were selected and organized into 40 site-specific subcategories, which were then grouped into broader site categories (mental, head, trunk, upper limb, lower limb, physical condition, and others). These terms were further consolidated into 211 patient-friendly symptom terms, forming a hierarchical symptom list. The application's interface design limited options to ten items per screen to assist with decision-making. Five adults participated in the usability test. Participants found the interface intuitive and easy to use, requiring minimal effort, and provided positive feedback regarding the potential utility of the application in pharmacy settings. The UTAUT analysis identified several facilitating factors, including ease of use and the potential for enhanced pharmacist-patient communication. However, concerns were raised about usability for older adults and the need for simplified technical terminology.

Conclusions:

The user-friendly application with a hierarchically structured symptom list and complementary free-text entry has potential benefits for improving the accuracy and efficiency of symptom reporting in pharmacy settings. The positive user acceptance and identified areas for improvement provide a foundation for further development and implementation of this technology to enhance communication between patients and pharmacists. Future improvements should focus on addressing usability for older adults and simplifying technical terminology.