Stakeholder Feedback of Electronic Medication Adherence Products: Qualitative Analysis

Abstract

Background Medication management among older adults continues to be a challenge, and innovative electronic medication adherence products have been developed to address this need. Objective The aim of this study is to examine user experience with electronic medication adherence products, with particular emphasis on features, usefulness, and preferences. Methods Older adults, caregivers, and health care providers tested the usability of 22 electronic medication adherence products. After testing 5 products, participants were invited to participate in a one-on-one interview to investigate their perceptions and experiences with the features, usefulness, and preference for electronic medication adherence products tested. The interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using exploratory inductive coding to generate themes. The first 13 interviews were independently coded by 2 researchers. The percentage agreement and Cohen kappa after analyzing those interviews were 79% and 0.79, respectively. A single researcher analyzed the remaining interviews. Results Of the 37 participants, 21 (57%) were older adults, 5 (14%) were caregivers, and 11 (30%) were health care providers. The themes and subthemes generated from the qualitative analysis included product factors (subthemes: simplicity and product features, including availability and usability of alarms, portability, restricted access to medications, and storage capacity) and user factors (subthemes: sentiment, affordability, physical and cognitive capability, and technology literacy and learnability). Conclusions Electronic medication adherence products have the potential to enable independent medication management in older adults. The choice of a particular product should be made after considering individual preferences for product features, affordability, and the sentiment of the users. Older adults, caregivers, and health care providers prefer electronic medication adherence products that are simple to set up and use, are portable, have easy-to-access medication compartments, are secure, and have adequate storage capacity.

A review of features and characteristics of smart medication adherence products

“…Our previous research regarding the user experience of MAPs has shown that portability is a feature that users consider when choosing a product for their medication management needs. 15 Similar results were shown by a qualitative study regarding patients’ views about electronic adherence devices. This study reported that patients preferred products that were lightweight and smaller in size due to the fact that they were more convenient to carry around.…”

“…13 Twenty-one products were randomly selected to assess their usability, workload and user experience. 14 , 15 We found significant difference in usability and workload of products among a participant population of older adults, caregivers and health care providers. 14 We also concluded that product features such as the ability to store multiple medications, portability, reminder and alarm functions, among others, can be of significant importance for older adults.…”

“… 14 We also concluded that product features such as the ability to store multiple medications, portability, reminder and alarm functions, among others, can be of significant importance for older adults. 15 …”

Integration of a smart multidose blister package for medication intake: A mixed method ethnographic informed study of older adults with chronic diseases

“…A study discussing user's perspectives on adherence products has cited similar results. The study reported that patients prefer to use an adherence product for their medication management if it provides them with a feeling of less worry and sense of assurance that they did not miss any doses [57].…”

Use of technology and social media in dementia care: Current and future directions

“…Faisal et al [ 46 ] and Ahmad et al [ 47 ] examined user experience with electronic medication adherence products. Both studies have demonstrated that these products have potential to promote independent medication management in older adults.…”