US Pharm . 2006;6:105-108.        

Perhaps more than in any other profession, pharmacists depend on up-to-date information to do their jobs safely and effectively. Brand names, generic equivalents, adverse effects, dosing, kinetics, dosage forms, pregnancy risks, and potential interactions--all are necessary data for pharmacists to optimize medication regimens.

Today's pharmacists are turning to technology--specifically, the personal digital assistant (PDA)--and pharmacy schools are driving the trend. One of these schools, the University of Houston (UH) College of Pharmacy, is taking a leadership role in making technology part of its curriculum.

"Competency with electronic drug databases is an expectation within the pharmacy profession today," said Remi Ademola, Director, Information Technology (IT), for UH College of Pharmacy. "Students must adopt them early in their education so that they become second nature."

UH introduces first-year students to industry resources. The university provides access to Lexi-Comp Online, a comprehensive Web-based database containing drug monographs and specialty content in such areas as pediatrics, pharmacogenomics, and oncology. Lexi-Comp On-Hand, a PDA version of the database, is introduced to third-year students as they begin working with patients, because they can use this information at the point of care.

According to David Wallace, PharmD, Clinical Assistant Professor and Associate Director of Information Technology, the university uses the online databases to create drug-interaction scenarios as learning tools for students. "We set up mock pharmacies where students are faced with hypothetical situations as training for real-world challenges," he said.

Currently, 250 students and 50 faculty members at the UH College of Pharmacy have Lexi-Comp On-Hand software on their PDAs.

Selecting a Technology Partner
When Ademola led the selection process for which technology to use at the college, he studied the early adopters and researched the databases most commonly used in both college settings and hospitals.

In 2003, UH signed a licensing agreement with Lexi-Comp to provide Lexi-Comp Online at all workstations and Lexi-Comp On-Hand for all third- and fourth-year students, in addition to a one-year subscription for students following graduation. The agreement provides students with access to Lexi-Drugs, Lexi-Interact, Lexi-Calc, and specialized databases for pediatrics and disease states.

"Lexi-Comp offered us a package that not only armed our students with drug information and interaction screening tools but also provided information on diseases, conditions, and laboratory testing procedures," explained Wallace. "This helps a great deal when making decisions at the point-of-care or when counseling patients."

From an IT standpoint, Ademola said that Lexi-Comp offered a mature application with no significant user or technical issues. "The menus are intuitive, and the multiple update options allow users to choose whichever gives them a better comfort level," he said.

Because drug information changes rapidly, Lexi-Comp updates its drug databases daily and recommends that users update their PDAs at least
once a week to ensure they have current information.

Technology and PDA usage at the university level is driving the trend into private practice for use by doctors and nurses. Indeed, entire health systems are adopting electronic formularies on a number of platforms for all caregivers. An October 2004 report by Manhattan Research(www.manhattanresearch.com) suggests that nearly half of all physicians have incorporated a PDA into their daily routine. It's a trend that's growing across all health care disciplines, and Ademola recommends getting students started early to give them an edge in their career.

--Jessica Jannicelli and Abigail Brugger, section editors

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