Development of a Patient-Centered Symptom-Reporting Application in Pharmacy Settings Utilizing a Hierarchical Patient-friendly Symptom List
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Background: Effective symptom identification, a key responsibility for community pharmacists, require patients to describe their symptoms. However, current practices may be insufficient in capturing patient-reported symptoms comprehensively. This study aimed to develop an application integrating a hierarchical list of symptoms to facilitate symptom reporting by patients in pharmacy settings. Methods: Subjective symptom-related terms were extracted from the Patient-Friendly Term List version 23.0 of the Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities (MedDRA®). These terms were consolidated and organized into a hierarchical, user-friendly symptom list. An application incorporating this list was developed for pharmacy settings, featuring a symptom-selection interface and free-text input field for additional symptoms. Usability tests and semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants aged over 20 years. Interview transcripts were analyzed using the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model to evaluate factors influencing the acceptance of technology. Results: In total, 795 terms, selected from the Patient-Friendly Term List, were organized into 40 site-specific subcategories and grouped into broader site categories. These terms were consolidated into 211 patient-friendly symptom terms, forming a hierarchical symptom list. The symptom-reporting application, including a free-text input option, was tested by five adults. Participants found the interface intuitive and easy to use, requiring minimal effort, and provided positive feedback regarding the potential utility of the application in pharmacy settings. Conclusion: The user-friendly application with a hierarchically structured symptom list and complementary free-text entry has potential benefits for improving the accuracy and efficiency of symptom reporting, thus enhancing communication between patients and pharmacists.
