Partners in E

Partners in E is an innovative program of curriculum development for pharmacy students, that aims to better integrate the discipline of safety science into a health information technology-enabled world.

Partners in E was developed by faculty researchers from the Department of Clinical Pharmacy at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Pharmacy. HIMSS provides the technical infrastructure and program guidance for nationwide dissemination of Partners in E.

Issue:

ACPE 2007 Standards mandates three competencies in Informatics:

  • To define basic terminology used in health informatics
  • To describe the benefits and current constraints in using information and communication technology in healthcare
  • To know the reasons for the systematic processing of data, information and knowledge in healthcare.

Solution:

The Partners in E informatics curriculum.

Partners in E

Recognizing the lack of content experts available in health professional schools to lecture on topics related to health information technology and exchange, the Partners in E team designed an online Introduction to Pharmacy Informatics course. Using a train-the-trainer approach, faculty members are provided with necessary resources to facilitate integration of online modules into their curriculum. The Partners in E curriculum is designed to meet the ACPE competencies in informatics.

Meeting the ACPE competencies in informatics is required for program accreditation.

The Partners in E curriculum is adaptable and flexible, depending on the needs of your program.  The online modules can be used to create a standalone informatics elective or training program or they can be integrated into an existing course.  Partners in E was developed as a turnkey curriculum. Request access to the modules.

  1. Explore. View the list of avaialble modules.
  2. Request. Fill out a brief form to access the online modules.
  3. View. Determine the best place for this in your curriculum - use 1, 5, or all of the modules.
  4. Teach!

The Partners in E curriculum includes the following online modules:

  • Introduction to HIT and HIE
  • Strategies to Promote the Adoption of EHRs and HIE
  • Introduction to Pharmacy Informatics
  • Introduction to EMRs and EHRs and PHRs
  • Interoperability 
  • E-Prescribing Basics
  • Computerized Provider Order Entry
  • Barcode Medication Administration
  • Clinical Decision Support in Health Information Technology
  • Patient and Medication Safety in Health Information Technology
  • Data Management
  • Legal and Regulatory Aspects of Electronic Health Records
  • Introduction to Consumer Health Informatics
  • Emerging Technologies

Request access to the modules.

At all phases of the program, Partners in E included an evaluation component to measure the success of the program. In April 2013, the first two Partners in E train-the-trainer programs were held in California.  By the end of 2013, Partners in E had facilitated the successful integration of pharmacy informatics curriculum into all eight accredited pharmacy schools in California.  To date, over 1,000 California pharmacy students have been trained using the Introduction to Pharmacy Informatics online modules. With HIMSS involvement, the program is now available nationwide.

Over 70 universities and 32 hospitals or healthcare organizations have received access to Partners in E.

Request portal access and become part of Partners in E:

Auburn University Purdue University University of Michigan
Baghdad College of Pharmacy Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital University of Minnesota
Belmont University Samford University University of New England
California NorthState University South Dakota State University University of New Mexico
Campbell University CPHS South Georgia Medical Center University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
Chapman University School of Pharmacy SWOSU & University of Oklahoma University of North Texas System - COP
Fletcher Allen Health Care - University of Vermont Texas A&M Health Science Center University of Rhode Island
Keck Graduate Institute Texas Tech HSC University of Texas Austin
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology The Ohio State University University of the Incarnate Word
Lawrence Memorial Hospital The University of Findlay University of the Pacific
Lipscomb University University at Buffalo University of Toronto
MCPHS University University of Arizona University of Utah
Medical University of South Carolina University of Chicago Medicine University of Utah Health Care
Mercer University University of Colorado University of Washington
Midwestern University College of Pharmacy University of Connecticut University of Wisconsin
Midwestern University College of Pharmacy - Glendale University of Findlay University of Wyoming
North Dakota State University University of Florida Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Northeast Ohio University of Georgia VCU School of Pharmacy
Northeastern University University of Houston Walden University School of Nursing
Northwest Vista College University of Illinois Chicago Western New England University
Notre Dame of Maryland University University of Iowa Western University
Nova Southeastern University University of Kansas Wilkes University
Oregon Health & Science University and Johns Hopkins Hospital University of Louisville Hospital Yale School of Public Health
Palm Beach Atlantic University University of Maryland  

"There has been university-wide support for improving informatics within the academic institution." - Pharmacy faculty member, University of Southern California

"The availability of the materials (online modules, quizzes and case examples) greatly helped in implementation of the course, especially for someone who is not an expert in informatics. - Pharmacy faculty member, Loma Linda University

"We did not encounter any major barriers or challenges. The only minor discussion point was where it would fit best into our curriculum." - Pharmacy faculty member, Western University of Health Sciences

"I enjoyed the up and coming relevance and real time opportunity for change and influence to adapt to and improve the electronic systems." - 1st year pharmacy student, University of California, San Francisco

"I loved learning about the breadth of topics covered. This is very important information to have with us in the future as the movement to EHR gets more widespread." - 2nd year pharmacy student, University of California, San Francisco

"The information being learned is actually useful, unlike some other theoretical-based classes." - 1st year pharmacy student, University of California, San Diego

"I really enjoyed the online Partners in E presentations that I could study at home at my own pace." - 3rd year pharmacy student, University of the Pacific

"The modules prepare students for systems they will encounter in future; I learned a new vocabulary." - 3rd year pharmacy student, University of the Pacific

"Provided information that was not taught to us in any of the other classes we took in pharmacy school." - 4th year pharmacy student, University of Southern California

"This is a topic that we were never taught; I wish this program could be continued with future students as well." - 3rd year pharmacy student, Western University of Health Sciences

Partners in E 2015 Town Hall

Learn about the Partners in E program updates and listen to current program implementers on their thoughts of the Partners in E program.

Stream the recording | Download the Slides