title: The role of information technology in the development of community pharmacy services: visions and strategic views of international experts.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Community pharmacy's strategic vision has been to extend practice responsibilities beyond dispensing and provide patient care services. Few studies have evaluated the strategic and long-term development of information technology (IT) systems to support this vision.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to explore international experts' visions and strategic views on IT development needs in relation to service provision in community pharmacies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Semistructured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 14 experts from 8 countries in 2007-2008. These experts had expertise in the development of community pharmacy services and IT. The interviews were content analyzed using a constant comparison approach and a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis was undertaken.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most of the experts shared the vision for community pharmacy adopting a patient care orientation; supported by IT-based documentation, new technological solutions, access to information, and shared patient data. Opportunities to achieve this vision included IT solutions, professional skills, and interprofessional collaboration. Threats included costs, pharmacists' attitude, and the absence of IT solutions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Those responsible for IT development in community pharmacy sector should create long-term IT development strategies that are in line with community pharmacy service development strategies.
authors.affiliation: Division of Social Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Viikinkaari 9, PO Box 56, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland. anna.westerling@salnet.fi
authors.forename: Anna M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Westerling
authors.forename: Veikko
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Haikala
authors.forename: Marja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Airaksinen
mesh_terms: D022126:Access to Information; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003157:Community Pharmacy Services / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000639:trends; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D008297:Male; D008331:Management Information Systems / Q000639:trends*; D008490:Medical Informatics / Q000639:trends*; D005791:Patient Care / Q000379:methods; D010595:Pharmacists / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000523:psychology; D011361:Professional Competence