Telehealth in community pharmacy: A new “place” for the appointment-based model given COVID-19 and the future of health care

Rezahi, Sara; Mathers, Annalise; Patel, Pooja; Tilli, Tiana; Dolovich, Lisa

doi:10.1177/17151635211014922

Cited by 5 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…The speed that was required to transition to telehealth at the start of the pandemic likely contributed to an increase in phone vs video usage, as the former was easier to adopt than the latter. [8][9][10][11][12] Indeed, across the various pharmacy typesparticularly among retail chainmany reported that their site made no investments in connectivity-related resources to support video telehealth, such as establishing a video platform. Moving forward, if telehealth is to be more widely adopted, it may be worthwhile to encourage institutions to invest in resources that can further expand access to and support of telehealth usage.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Delivery of Comprehensive Medication Management and Other Clinical Services via Telehealth by Pharmacy Type

Green

Barragan

Abraham

et al. 2023

Journal of Pharmacy Practice

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Background The recent coronavirus pandemic accelerated the need to deliver pharmacy-related services remotely. Objective To describe experiences with providing comprehensive medication management (CMM) and other clinical services via telehealth by pharmacy type, before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods An online survey of pharmacists, representing 27 pharmacies, was conducted to capture telehealth usage in three pharmacy types: independently owned, integrated into a clinical setting, and retail chain. A sub-analysis was performed to assess if providing CMM services via telehealth helped, resulted in no change, or worsened the care of different patient groups (e.g., those with diabetes, were low-income, aged 65+ years). Results During the pandemic, telehealth usage among independently owned pharmacies and those integrated into a clinical setting increased, but no change occurred among retail chain pharmacies. This usage increase in the first two pharmacy types occurred despite limited investments in connectivity-related resources to support telehealth services. Pharmacists from both independently owned pharmacies (63%) and those integrated into a clinical setting (89%) reported CMM via telehealth reached patients they would not otherwise have been able to reach during the pandemic. Most pharmacists/pharmacies found telehealth to be a feasible and acceptable method of delivering CMM. Conclusion Pharmacists and pharmacies are now experienced with and have interest in continuing CMM via telehealth, even as the pandemic recedes. However, investments in telecommunications resources, training support, technical assistance, and continued telehealth reimbursement from health plans are needed to sustain this service delivery model.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Delivery of Comprehensive Medication Management and Other Clinical Services via Telehealth by Pharmacy Type

Green

Barragan

Abraham

et al. 2023

Journal of Pharmacy Practice

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“…Pharmacy workflow challenges were also discussed as a barrier to intervention implementation. These challenges can further be addressed by encouraging pharmacists to use an appointment-based model where patients schedule an appointment with the pharmacy to allow for better organization of tasks [38]. In addition, challenges to workflow can be addressed by optimizing pharmacy staffing, leveraging the expanded scope of pharmacy technicians, and if enabled and compensated through remuneration for the service, hiring additional staff.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Addressing the Opioid Crisis—The Need for a Pain Management Intervention in Community Pharmacies in Canada: A Narrative Review

Cid

2023

Pharmacy

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Background: The opioid crisis is a public health concern in Canada with a continued rise in deaths and presents a significant economic impact on the healthcare system. There is a need to develop and implement strategies for decreasing the risk of opioid overdoses and other opioid-related harms resulting from the use of prescription opioids. Pharmacists, as medication experts and educators, and as one of the most accessible frontline healthcare providers, are well positioned to provide effective opioid stewardship through a pain management program focused on improving pain management for patients, supporting appropriate prescribing and dispensing of opioids, and supporting safe and appropriate use of opioids to minimize potential opioid misuse, abuse, and harm. Methods: A literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase and grey literature to determine the characteristics of an effective community pharmacy-based pain management program, including the facilitators and barriers to be considered. Discussion: An effective pain management program should be multicomponent, address other co-morbid conditions in addition to pain, and contain a continuing education component for pharmacists. Solutions to implementation barriers, including pharmacy workflow; addressing attitudes beliefs, and stigma; and pharmacy remuneration, as well as leveraging the expansion of scope from the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act exemption to facilitate implementation, should be considered. Conclusions: Future work should include the development, implementation, and evaluation of a multicomponent, evidence-based intervention strategy in Canadian community pharmacies to demonstrate the impact pharmacists can have on the management of chronic pain and as one potential solution to helping curb the opioid crisis. Future studies should measure associated costs for such a program and any resulting cost-savings to the healthcare system.

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“…Moreover, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of telehealth services, digital health tools, and remote patient monitoring [15,16]. Community pharmacists have embraced these technologies to engage with patients, expand their reach, and diversify their sources of income [17]. These innovations have changed the financial landscape, necessitating a deeper understanding of financial indicators tailored to modern community pharmacy [18,19].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Financial indicators utilization among community pharmacists: A comprehensive study for pharmacy management

Abu Assab,

Hasan,

Alhamad

et al. 2024

PLoS ONE

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Background The financial management of community pharmacies is a critical aspect of healthcare delivery, as pharmacists often operate as healthcare providers and business managers. Understanding pharmacists’ awareness, perceptions, and practices related to financial indicators is essential for effective pharmacy management. There is a paucity of research addressing this issue regionally and locally. Objectives This study aimed to investigate the perceptions and utilization of financial indicators among community pharmacists in Jordan and identify demographic and contextual factors influencing their financial practices. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted, surveying 353 community pharmacists from various regions of Jordan. The developed and validated survey assessed demographic characteristics, utilizations of financial indicators, and perceptions of their significance. Pharmacists were queried about their financial practices, including the use of various financial indicators. Descriptive and analytical statistics were used to portray the study’s findings. Results The study included a diverse group of community pharmacists in terms of demographic characteristics. Most pharmacists exhibited awareness of financial indicators, with a higher awareness of profitability and liquidity indicators. Pharmacists generally had positive perceptions of the importance of these indicators in daily practice. High agreement was observed in financial practices, including following up on payables and receivables, monitoring changes in monthly revenue, and preparing income statements. There was significant variation in the utilization and perception of financial indicators based on factors such as pharmacy ownership, province, foundation age, and practical experience. Conclusion The findings indicate a positive correlation between utilization and perception, emphasizing the importance of raising awareness of financial indicators among pharmacists. The study also highlights the significance of tailored financial training programs for pharmacists at different stages of their careers and the importance of regional context in financial practices. Understanding these variations can lead to more effective financial management and improved healthcare services in community pharmacies.

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Telehealth in community pharmacy: A new “place” for the appointment-based model given COVID-19 and the future of health care

Cited by 5 publications

References 21 publications

Delivery of Comprehensive Medication Management and Other Clinical Services via Telehealth by Pharmacy Type

Delivery of Comprehensive Medication Management and Other Clinical Services via Telehealth by Pharmacy Type

Addressing the Opioid Crisis—The Need for a Pain Management Intervention in Community Pharmacies in Canada: A Narrative Review

Financial indicators utilization among community pharmacists: A comprehensive study for pharmacy management

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