Acceptability of three smartphone apps to improve adherence to blood pressure medicines in community pharmacies: a qualitative interview study of patients and pharmacy staff

Background Around eight million people in England are treated for high blood pressure; however, many do not take their medications as prescribed, which can lead to serious health complications. Community pharmacists can support patients in taking medication, but they often lack time to do so. Smartphone apps may help patients take medicines in this environment. This study explored the experiences and views of patients and pharmacy staff regarding the use of three apps to manage blood pressure medication as part of a randomized feasibility trial. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 participants (22 people with hypertension and eight pharmacy staff ) across eight community pharmacies in the East of England . The data were analysed thematically using a constant comparative approach. Key themes were identified, with findings reported as verbatim quotes. Results Five key themes were identified: Two were associated with the general characteristics of reminder apps and three were related to increased app functionality. Participants welcomed the apps’ reminder notification, ability to track multiple medications, direct messaging with pharmacies, and scanning function for uploading medication details. Patients also recommended additional features, including inputting blood pressure readings and the ability to save details on unused medicines and GP appointments. However, implementing this technology may depend on the capacity and resources available at the pharmacy site. Conclusions This study adds to the growing body of research on the use of smartphone apps for the self-management of medications. We found that digital apps were acceptable to patients using blood-pressure-lowering medicines and were supported by staff in community pharmacies. Apps with additional functionality that enables prescription reordering and facilitates direct communication with pharmacists have the potential to simplify medication management. However, further research is needed to assess their effectiveness and explore the best practices for use across a wider pharmacy setting.