(106) A Cross-Sectional Survey of Informatics Training Integrated into Postgraduate Year 1 Pharmacy Residencies

Objective : As technology use in pharmacy practice becomes increasingly sophisticated, the profession must produce practitioners who are ready to engage with these technologies to facilitate a wide range of health care outcomes. The purpose of this study is to describe the informatics training provided in first-year post-graduate pharmacy residencies (PGY-1) in the United States (U.S.).

Methods: Cross-sectional online survey study of residency program directors (RPDs) of PGY-1 programs that potentially offer a pharmacy informatics rotation based on publicly-available information (n=168). A customized survey was sent to each RPD inquiring if their PGY-1 offers a pharmacy informatics rotation and if they do, to provide information about the content of the rotation. All data was analyzed descriptively and reported out as frequency counts and percents.

Results: A 14.9% response rate (n=25) was obtained. Nineteen programs (76%) offered an informatics rotation. For these 19 programs, the top ten skills/competencies addressed were: 1) information technology and automation (n=18, 94.7%); 2) data analytics (n=17, 89.5%); 3) clinical decision support (n=17, 89.5%); 4) electronic health record workflow (n=17, 89.5%); 5) medication use safety (n=14, 73.7%); 6) project management (n=12, 63.2%); 7) centralized and decentralized inventory (n=12, 63.2%); 8) hospital operations (n=12, 63.2%); 9) standards and best practices (n=11, 57.9%); and 10) interface testing (n=11, 57.9%). On average 1.5 residents complete the informatics rotation each year and this number has stayed the same over time for most programs (n=11, 57.9%).

Conclusions: While post-graduate resources exist to support building skills in informatics, the number of residents participating in informatics rotations is relatively stagnant. More comprehensive analysis of informatics rotations is needed with a more robust sample size. Future research should examine ways to enhance interest in informatics.