Optimizing medication use through a synergistic technology testing process integrating implementation science to drive effectiveness and facilitate scale.

OBJECTIVES: 1) To describe a synergistic technology testing process (STTP) that integrates traditional technology assessment with implementation science principles to drive uptake, enhance outcomes, and facilitate scaling of medication optimization health information technology solutions; and 2) to illustrate the application of the STTP using an example that involves designing and testing a medication therapy problem (MTP) platform for use by pharmacists in primary care.

SUMMARY: Optimizing medication services requires supportive technologies that have been fully tested before release. Current testing approaches are not sufficient to produce the information needed to accelerate uptake and drive impact. Implementation science principles can supplement the traditional testing process by broadening its focus to include designing a truly usable technology, attending to contextual influences, studying the implementation process, and assessing the technology for its scalability. The STTP is an early attempt at outlining the integration of traditional technology testing with implementation science for pharmacy practice.

CONCLUSION: The potential impact of technology-supported medication optimization solutions to improve patient outcomes, enhance quality of care, and reduce costs could be substantial. Accelerating uptake, driving impact, and facilitating scaling will require innovative testing paradigms that result in evidence-based technologies that can feasibly be implemented in real-world settings.