Survey of the patients' perspectives and preferences in adopting telepharmacy versus in-person visits to the pharmacy: a feasibility study during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Background Following the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the health authorities recommended the implementation of strict social distancing and complete lockdown regulations to reduce disease spread. The pharmacists quickly adopted telemedicine (telepharmacy) as a solution against this crisis, but awareness about this technology is lacking. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to explore the patients' perspectives and preferences regarding telepharmacy instead of traditional in-person visits. Methods An electronic questionnaire was designed and sent to 313 patients who were eligible for the study (from March to April 2021). The questionnaire used five-point Likert scales to inquire about motivations for adopting telepharmacy and in-person visits, their perceived advantages and disadvantages, and the declining factors of telepharmacy. Finally, the results were descriptively analyzed using SPSS 22. Results Of all 313 respondents, a total of 241 (77%) preferred appointments via telepharmacy while 72 (23%) preferred in-person services. There was a significant difference between the selection percentage of telepharmacy and in-person services (chi-square 91.42; p < 0.0001). Preference bout the telepharmacy system versus in-person visits to the pharmacy was associated with factors such as "reducing the incidence of contagious disease" (4.41; ± 0.78), "spending less time receiving pharmaceutical services” (4.24; ± 0.86)), and “traveling a shorter distance for receiving pharmaceutical services" (4.25; ± 0.86). "Reducing costs" (90.87%), "saving time" (89.21%), and "reducing the incidence of contagious disease" (87.13%) were the most important reasons for choosing telepharmacy services. Also, “face-to-face communication with the pharmacist” (25%), “low internet bandwidth” (25%), and “reduction of patients' anxiety and the increase of their peace of mind” (23.61%) were the most important reasons for choosing in-person visits. Conclusion Survey data indicate that most participants are likely to prefer the use of telepharmacy, especially during crises such as the current COVID-19 pandemic. Telepharmacy can be applied as an important means and a crucial service to lessen the load on healthcare organizations and expand drug supply shelters in pharmacies. However, there are still substantial hurdles to overcome in order to successfully implement the telemedicine platform as part of mainstream practice.

A Review of Telepharmacy in Asia

“…A total of 100 clinicians participated in the study from 39 primary care clinics in Makassar City, whereas 15 were interviewed. [20] 1. Results showed that 78% of clinicians were impressed with the telemedicine system, which benefits patients by making diagnoses faster and simpler.…”

Home delivery of medications: Community pharmacists' perspectives on the pros and cons of the service

“…A recent study found that patients on maintenance medications through home delivery are more likely to take them as prescribed for conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia (13). However, previous studies that investigated the benefits of home delivery services were self-administered questionnaires susceptible to social desirability bias (10,12,(14)(15)(16)(17). Therefore, there is a need for studies with a stronger methodological rigor to thoroughly address this regard.…”

“…While tackling a patientcentered approach, considerations should be made particularly in vulnerable sick and disabled patients, the elderly, and many other patients where a visit to the pharmacy is not a simple task (14,20). While during the pandemic several studies were investigating the implementation of home delivery, and other telehealth services, they were all conducted from patients' perspectives, and none of these studies the perception of community pharmacists toward this practice (10,(14)(15)(16)(17). Investigating community pharmacists' perception and willingness of adopting this service is necessary to ensure their effective involvement and awareness of the pros and cons of this service.…”

Perspectives of clinical pharmacists on the provision of pharmaceutical care through telepharmacy services during COVID-19 pandemic in Qatar: A focus group

“…While our study participants had mixed opinions on the impact of telepharmacy on patients’ satisfaction, previous literature indicated that telepharmacy enhances patient satisfaction [ 28 , 31 , 32 ]. A recent study from Iran revealed significant patients’ preference for telepharmacy services compared to in-person visits [ 33 ].…”