Consumer perceptions of direct-to-consumer electronic prescription services in Queensland, Australia

Abstract

Background Direct-to-consumer (DTC) electronic prescription services (EPS) are a novel addition to the Australian healthcare landscape. This study aimed to explore consumers’ perceptions on how this model of care supports the delivery of best-practice care. Method Focus groups participants were recruited through social media and included adults aged 18 years or older, Queensland (Australia) residents, and interested in DTC EPS. Focus groups were conducted via Zoom ® and repeated until data saturation. Inductive thematic analysis was undertaken to elicit consumer perception themes from focus group discussions and field notes. Results Three focus groups were conducted between July and August 2022 and included 13 participants of which two (15%) had previously used DTC EPS. Four major perception themes were induced: (a) Consumer responsibility. There is an assumed level of consumer health literacy leading to an unacceptable burden of responsibility on the patient; (b) System processes appear to be underdeveloped to support best-practice care; (c) Access to convenient and timely healthcare will be improved for many patients, however, out of pocket expenses may promote inequity; and (d) Service model improvements can address safety and quality concerns including integration of the model within existing national digital health platforms. Conclusion Participants believed that DTC EPS was a valuable addition to the Australian health care landscape increasing convenient and timely access to medicines for consumers. Participants were concerned that a heavy reliance on health literacy and underdeveloped system processes may lead to unsafe prescribing.