Description of telepharmacy services by emergency medicine pharmacists

Abstract

Disclaimer In an effort to expedite the publication of articles related to the COVID-19 pandemic, AJHP is posting these manuscripts online as soon as possible after acceptance. Accepted manuscripts have been peer-reviewed and copyedited, but are posted online before technical formatting and author proofing. These manuscripts are not the final version of record and will be replaced with the final article (formatted per AJHP style and proofed by the authors) at a later time. Purpose Utilization of telemedicine and telepharmacy services has become increasingly popular, as specifically noted during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This article describes the implementation of and services provided by emergency medicine pharmacists (EMPs) as part of a telemedicine team in the emergency department (ED). Summary This report describes the telemedicine and telepharmacy services provided to EDs in the Mayo Clinic Health System from the Mayo Clinic Rochester ED. Telepharmacy services provided by EMPs started in 2018. EMPs cover telepharmacy calls as part of their shift within the ED in Rochester. Recommendations and interventions are documented in the electronic medical record. A retrospective review evaluated interventions provided from November 18, 2018, through November 10, 2020. Baseline patient demographics, as well as the type and number of interventions provided by EMPs, hospital site, and time spent on the interventions, were collected. Telepharmacy consults could include multiple interventions and be classified as more than one type of intervention. During this time period, 24 pharmacists worked in the ED and were able to provide telepharmacy services. There were 279 consults included in this study, with 435 interventions. Most of the calls came from critical access hospitals (48.7%). The most common types of interventions documented were medication selection and dosing (n = 238), antimicrobials (n = 141), monitoring and follow-up (n = 65), discharge (n = 56), drug information (n = 55), and allergy review (n = 50). Conclusion Telepharmacy services can provide increased access to emergency medicine specialty pharmacists in areas that would not otherwise have these services.

A review of pharmacy‐led interventions: identification of facilitators and barriers for the design of a new model of care for asthma

“…These can be beneficial options for a study or ongoing intervention to improve ease of use and potentially reduce travel costs, 14 which is a particularly important consideration when implementing interventions in areas with higher levels of socioeconomic disadvantage. Telephone and online consultations were successfully implemented during COVID‐19 and pharmacists could build on this to assess inhaler technique and asthma control using ACTs 42–44 . Further research on interventions using technology may be necessary before implementing this option.…”

“…Telephone and online consultations were successfully implemented during COVID-19 and pharmacists could build on this to assess inhaler technique and asthma control using ACTs. [42][43][44] Further research on interventions using technology may be necessary before implementing this option.…”

Community Pharmacists’ Knowledge and Perception towards Telepharmacy Services and Willingness to Practice It in Light of COVID-19

“…Before the health crisis, virtual care services underwent a gradual upsurge to provide pharmaceutical care services to patients in remote areas with limited healthcare accessibility and facilities. However, due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, there was increased adoption of telehealth, where patients communicate with the healthcare providers remotely for their healthcare needs and concerns by using technology [1][2][3]. One area that comes under the umbrella of telehealth is telepharmacy, in which pharmacists provide patient care activities that improve the patients' safety and quality of life by reducing medication errors, adverse drug events, and reduced healthcare costs [2,4,5].…”

“…However, due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, there was increased adoption of telehealth, where patients communicate with the healthcare providers remotely for their healthcare needs and concerns by using technology [1][2][3]. One area that comes under the umbrella of telehealth is telepharmacy, in which pharmacists provide patient care activities that improve the patients' safety and quality of life by reducing medication errors, adverse drug events, and reduced healthcare costs [2,4,5]. Community pharmacists, who are a vital part of the healthcare system and are easily accessible, could play a prominent role in providing benefts to the community and improving the patients' health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic through this new concept of telepharmacy.…”