Prioritising digital health technologies in Australian community pharmacy: a delphi study identifying barriers, enablers, and policy implications for implementation.

Abstract

To determine priority digital health technologies for Australian community pharmacies and identify the key barriers, enablers, and policy/funding factors that can inform future implementation planning through expert consensus. A two-round Delphi study was conducted with 31 experts representing pharmacy, academia, policy, and digital health. In Round 1, participants identified priority technologies, barriers, and enablers. In Round 2, 27 participants ranked five technologies, nine policy options, and six financial models. Consensus was assessed using descriptive statistics and interquartile ranges (IQRs). E-prescriptions and My Health Record (MyHR) were ranked as top priorities (mean  =  1.70 and 2.22; IQR ≤ 1.0). Key barriers included financial constraints, interoperability issues, and digital literacy gaps. Telehealth incentives received the strongest agreement among participants, while reimbursement-based funding and government support were rated as the most supportive financial models for implementation. Broader enablers, such as a national medicine repository and stronger cross-disciplinary collaboration, were also endorsed. Digital health adoption in community pharmacy requires prioritisation of core technologies, improved system integration, workforce training, and practical funding mechanisms. These findings offer guidance for policymakers, pharmacy leaders, and digital health stakeholders aiming to embed digital tools more consistently and effectively into pharmacy practice.