The survey includes questions on how you view the way prescriptions are processed in Ontario now. We will also describe how electronic prescribing will likely work and ask your opinion on these new processes. We will describe what a drug information system is and how the current prescription system will change once the Drug Information System is implemented.

A Scottish Study by Porteous et al (2003) called, “Electronic Transfer of prescription-related information: comparing views of patients, family physicians, and pharmacists” has generously provided us with their questionnaires. We have altered the content in the surveys to tailor it to Ontario’s health care system and for its stakeholders.

Participation in the survey is entirely voluntary. Completing the survey does not have any known or anticipated risks other than taking out 15 minutes to fill it. You may decline to answer any of the questions. Further, you may stop the questionnaire at any time. All information you provide is confidential and the data collected will be completely anonymous. We will give our findings to eHealth Ontario for their consideration; therefore, you can influence the planning and implementation of electronic prescribing by filling out this questionnaire.

We would appreciate it if you could return the questionnaire as soon as possible or before October 31 2011.

Contact Information

If you have any questions about this study, or would like additional information about participation, please contact me at 416-258-1150 or by email quresh5@mcmaster.ca. You can also contact my supervisor Dr. Ann McKibbon by telephone at 1-905-525-9140 ext. 22803 or by email at mckib@mcmaster.ca.

A website describing the project in more detail is also available at eHealth Ontario’s website: www.ehealthontario.on.ca/News/2011/March28_2011.asp

A more detailed, technical document, 'Perceptions of Ontario’s First Upcoming Drug Information System: Narrating the story of prescribers, dispensers and patients’ is still under development but can be emailed to you or your organization upon request once it is completed. Please let us know if you would like to request a copy by filling out the last question of this questionnaire. We would like to hear from you.

This study has received ethics approval through the Office of Research Ethics at the McMaster University. If you have any comments or concerns resulting from your participation in this study, please contact the Office of the Chair at 1-905-525-9140 ext. 22803. Thank you in advance for your interest and assistance with this research.

HAVING READ THE INFORMATION ABOVE, YOU MUST DECIDE IF YOU WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS RESEARCH PROJECT. IF YOU DECIDE TO PARTICIPATE, PLEASE CLICK ON THE LINK TO THE STUDY QUESTIONNAIRES UNDER THEIR RESPECTIVE CATEGORIES BELOW. YOU MAY PRINT A COPY OF THIS LETTER TO KEEP.

Prescriber Questionnaire (the prescriber questionnaire is now closed)

Pharmacist/ Dispenser Questionnaire (the pharmacist questionnaire is now closed)

Patient Questionnaire (the patient questionnaire is now closed)

Once you have filled the questionnaire, you can email your completed questionnaire to Hafsa Qureshi Grymek at quresh5@mcmaster.ca. We appreciate and thank you for taking out your precious time to fill our questionnaires.

Yours very truly

Principal Investigator: Hafsa Qureshi Grymek    Date: June 20 2011

Supervisor: Dr. Ann McKibbon                         Date: June 20 2011