Telepharmacy is the practice of providing pharmaceutical care to patients in regions where they may not have direct access to a pharmacist, using telecommunications. The delivery of pharmacological care is being transformed via telepharmacy, which makes it more effective and accessible. Its services include patient counseling, prior authorization and refill authorization for prescription medications, drug therapy monitoring, and formulary compliance monitoring by videoconferencing or teleconferencing. Telepharmacy makes it easier for people, especially in rural or underserved areas, to access pharmacy services. Patients can get medication advice and support from home, which saves them from traveling. It also helps pharmacists work more efficiently, allowing them to spend more time helping patients.
The history of telepharmacy dates back to the late 20th century, driven by advances in telecommunications and the need for better healthcare access, particularly in rural areas. Emerging in the 1990s, initial telepharmacy services connected pharmacists with patients and healthcare providers through phone consultations. The rise of the internet in the 2000s further advanced telepharmacy, enabling the use of video conferencing, secure messaging, and online prescription management for remote consultations. As the field grew, regulatory bodies developed guidelines to ensure patient safety, leading to the implementation of laws governing telepharmacy practices in various states. By the 2010s, telepharmacy had expanded significantly, especially in underserved regions, as more healthcare systems adopted it to improve access to medications and counseling. The COVID-19 pandemic in the 2020s accelerated this trend, increasing demand for remote healthcare solutions and integrating telepharmacy into mainstream healthcare. Today, telepharmacy continues to evolve with ongoing technological innovations aimed at enhancing access to pharmaceutical care and improving patient outcomes.
It comes in three different varieties:
Inpatient (remote order-entry review): Inpatient telepharmacy is the practice of a pharmacist working online to enter orders for a hospital's inpatient pharmacy.
Remote dispensing (discharge, outpatient, and retail): A registered physical pharmacy with a certified pharmacy technician (or two, depending on activity) on duty is known as a remote-dispensing site, or retail community telepharmacy.
Remote counseling: Pharmacists that offer patient counseling remotely do it through live, interactive video sessions or, in some cases, through telecommunications.
Telepharmacy greatly improves healthcare delivery in rural and underserved areas, where access to pharmacies and healthcare providers is often limited. It ensures that patients can obtain essential medications without traveling long distances and offers remote consultations with pharmacists for vital healthcare support. In emergency situations, telepharmacy can provide urgent medication dispensing and consultation, ensuring timely care. This approach promotes health equity by bridging the gap in access between urban and rural areas, enhances patient satisfaction and trust in the healthcare system, and contributes to better overall community health outcomes.
This article is taken from the Galen Gazette, November 2024, Issue No. 07. The author, Fakhray Jahan Rimi, is a second-semester pharmacy student at Comilla University.
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