Correspondence: Arne Christensen, Department for Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy Section for Social Pharmacy Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences University of Copenhagen Universitetsparken 2 København Ø 2100, Denmark. Tel: +45 3530 6350; Fax: +45 3530 6050; e-mail: ach@dfuni.dk

¹has a Masters in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the Christian Albrechts University in Kiel, Germany. The work for his master's degree was carried out in cooperation with AstraZeneca R&D Mölndal, Sweden. After his graduation, he worked in a public pharmacy in Germany, directly facing patient's compliance problems in everyday work. He is working on his PhD project entitled 'The Impact of Intelligent Medical Packaging and Devices on Treatment Adherence' at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark in cooperation with Bang & Olufsen Medicom a/s. The methods applied in his project include survey studies and clinical trials.

²is Associate Professor at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Copenhagen. Her research is focused on the dose–response relationship of analgesic substances, including factors such as dosage form, administration route, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, patient acceptance and compliance.

³is Concept Development Manager at Bang & Olufsen Medicom a/s. He is responsible for the creative and strategic processes in business and product development and has more than 15 years of experience in the medical device industry. He has a basic education as BSc EE in Mechatronics. In recent years, Bang & Olufsen Medicom has been associated with four design awards for their drug delivery device and diagnostic solutions. He has been responsible for the concept development of these products.

⁴is Professor of Social Pharmacy at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Copenhagen. She is also the Director of the multidisciplinary and inter-institutional Research Center for Quality in Medicine Use (FKL). She has played a major role in the development of the discipline of Social Pharmacy. Her primary research interests are: user perspectives on medicines, popular perceptions and attitudes versus medicines, children's medicine use, development of knowledge on medicines' safety, medicines in developing countries. She has published extensively on these and other topics and is frequently invited to speak to Danish and international audiences.

Received 21 February 2007; Revised 21 February 2007.

Abstract

Objective: To assess health professionals' perspectives on a new tablet dispenser, in particular with respect to their perception of patients' needs, dispensing of the device and patient instruction. Methods: Health professionals were invited to participate in an online survey. Respondents entering the survey site received an introduction, an animated presentation of the tablet reminder device and a questionnaire consisting of close-ended questions assessing the device, followed by open-ended questions. Results: The survey was completed by 138 health professionals of whom 34 per cent were general practitioners and 31 per cent specialists or hospital physicians. One-third of respondents consisted of nurses, pharmacists and other health professionals. Approximately 80 per cent of respondents provided very favourable assessments of the device functions with respect to reminder, feedback and protection of tablets. Similar positive assessments were found for the device's usability and design. The majority of respondents perceived the device as a possible useful aid to patients. Between 10 and 20 per cent assessed the device and its functions as less useful. In all respondent groups pharmacies were the preferred channel for supply of devices and instruction of patients. The patterns of answers did not differ significantly between the different professions. Conclusions: This study shows that health professionals assess the tablet reminder device very positively. Since patients have also been shown to have a positive attitude, introduction of the device into clinical practice could facilitate a concordant relationship between patients and health professionals.