Prioritising digital health technologies in Australian community pharmacy: a delphi study identifying barriers, enablers, and policy implications for implementation
Clinical Snapshot
PICO Framework
| P — Population | 31 experts representing pharmacy, academia, policy, and digital health sectors in Australia |
| I — Intervention | Two-round Delphi consensus process to identify and rank digital health technologies, barriers, enablers, and policy options |
| C — Comparator | Not applicable - consensus study design |
| O — Outcomes | Priority rankings of digital health technologies, barriers and enablers to implementation, and preferred policy/funding models |
Bottom Line
This Delphi consensus study provides valuable guidance for Australian digital health implementation in community pharmacy. Expert consensus strongly prioritised e-prescriptions and My Health Record integration, while identifying key implementation barriers including funding constraints, interoperability issues, and workforce digital literacy gaps. The study's strength lies in its multi-stakeholder approach and Australian-specific focus, making findings directly applicable to local practice. However, limited methodological detail in the abstract raises questions about expert selection and bias management. The identification of telehealth incentives and government-supported funding models as preferred implementation strategies offers practical policy direction. For pharmacy leaders and policymakers, these findings suggest focusing initial digital health investments on core prescription and health record technologies while simultaneously addressing workforce training and system integration challenges. The study provides a evidence-based framework for prioritising limited resources in Australian community pharmacy digital transformation.
Key Findings
P Value: Not applicable for consensus study
Effect Size: Strong consensus achieved with IQR ≤ 1.0 for top priorities
Primary Outcome: E-prescriptions ranked highest priority (mean = 1.70), followed by My Health Record (mean = 2.22)
Nnt Or Sensitivity: Consensus threshold: IQR ≤ 1.0 indicating strong expert agreement
Confidence Interval: Not reported in abstract
Clinical Application
High - study specifically designed to inform practical implementation planning Directly relevant to Australian pharmacy practice, aligns with existing digital health initiatives like My Health Record, and addresses PBS and TGA regulatory environment Australian community pharmacies and digital health stakeholders
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine priority digital health technologies for Australian community pharmacies and identify the key barriers, enablers, and policy/funding factors that can inform future implementation planning through expert consensus. METHODS: A two-round Delphi study was conducted with 31 experts representing pharmacy, academia, policy, and digital health. In Round 1, participants identified priority technologies, barriers, and enablers. In Round 2, 27 participants ranked five technologies, nine policy options, and six financial models. Consensus was assessed using descriptive statistics and interquartile ranges (IQRs). RESULTS: E-prescriptions and My Health Record (MyHR) were ranked as top priorities (mean = 1.70 and 2.22; IQR ≤ 1.0). Key barriers included financial constraints, interoperability issues, and digital literacy gaps. Telehealth incentives received the strongest agreement among participants, while reimbursement-based funding and government support were rated as the most supportive financial models for implementation. Broader enablers, such as a national medicine repository and stronger cross-disciplinary collaboration, were also endorsed. CONCLUSION: Digital health adoption in community pharmacy requires prioritisation of core technologies, improved system integration, workforce training, and practical funding mechanisms. These findings offer guidance for policymakers, pharmacy leaders, and digital health stakeholders aiming to embed digital tools more consistently and effectively into pharmacy practice.
References
- 1.Hareem, A., Stevens, J. E., Park, J. S., Stupans, I., Lobo, E., Pyun, J., & Wang, K. (2026). Prioritising digital health technologies in Australian community pharmacy: a delphi study identifying barriers, enablers, and policy implications for implementation. International Journal of Medical Informatics, 106305. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2026.106305
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