Telepharmacy versus Face-to-Face Approach in Providing Inhaler Technique Training Service: A Non-Inferiority Assessment Among German Pharmacy Students

Abstract

Background The use of telepharmacy in delivering pharmaceutical care services has grown in the past few years; however, there are perceptions of its inappropriateness for providing medical device training among pharmacy students and practicing pharmacists. Objective The primary objective of this study was to determine if the telepharmacy approach for providing inhaler technique training service was non-inferior to the face-to-face approach regarding pharmacy students’ performance in simulated patient encounters. Secondary objectives were to determine students’ self-assessment of their ability to demonstrate and practice inhaler technique between the two modes of communication and their perceptions of telepharmacy. Methods A randomized crossover non-inferiority trial was conducted among undergraduate pharmacy students. Outcomes were measured by comparing Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) scores of participants’ performance between two modes of communication while providing inhaler technique training service. Moreover, the participants also completed self-assessment and perception questionnaires. Results The telepharmacy approach was non-inferior to the face-to-face approach for demonstrating and practicing the correct inhaler technique based on OSCE scores and a predefined non-inferiority margin of −10%. The results also revealed no significant differences in student self-confidence between the two modes of communication. Moreover, participants had a largely positive perception of telepharmacy and its use in providing inhaler technique training service. Conclusion Considering our findings, telepharmacy is a viable alternative to traditional face-to-face consultations for providing inhaler technique training service. However, to address perceived difficulties and differences between virtual and face-to-face consultations, the pharmacy curriculum should include more telepharmacy-related didactic content with experiential learning and simulations.