Development and pilot evaluation of an insulin prescribing online resource for adult patients

Abstract Background Prescribing is a complex task and high‐risk area in clinical practice. The safe prescribing of insulin is an essential skill for doctors. The introduction of the integrated electronic medical record (ieMR) system added a new layer of complexity in prescribing insulin. Aim To develop an insulin prescribing online resource for adult patients. Method Mixed methodology was used for this study conducted between August 2020–July 2021. Phase 1 involved qualitative data collection via stakeholder interviews which informed phase 2, the creation of the online resource. The final phase, phase 3, involved piloting the usefulness of the online tool via a pre‐ and post‐tool survey to determine any change in their knowledge and confidence. Ethical approval was granted by the Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service Human Research Ethics Committee (Reference no: LNR/2021/QGC/73635) and the study conforms with the Australian National statement on ethical conduct in human research . Informed consent was obtained from all participants via distribution of a project information sheet, completion of a written consent form for interview participants, and completion of the anonymous and voluntary pre‐ and post‐tool surveys for survey respondents. Results The semi‐structured interviews with ten stakeholders identified four key issues with insulin prescribing: (1) uncertainty around correct terminology, (2) ambiguity of different prescribing pathways, (3) frequency of dose checks, and (4) action when a dose is missed. Based on these findings, an online resource that was user‐friendly and complemented current resources was constructed. The pre‐ and post‐tool surveys ( n = 8) used in the pilot evaluation of the online tool demonstrated a statistically significant improvement for seven of 12 responses highlighting enhanced prescribers' confidence in accessing the existing resources as well as navigating and prescribing insulin through the ieMR system. Conclusion The practical online resource was easy to navigate and increased doctors' confidence to prescribe insulin through an electronic platform. Application of this tool has potential to reduce insulin prescribing errors, an important aspect of patient safety.