Telepharmacy services in an urban community health clinic system. 2009

Annie Y Lam, and Dave Rose
Department of Pharmacy, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. aylam@u.washington.edu

OBJECTIVE To describe telepharmacy-related services and outcome. METHODS Suburban western Washington State during 2007 to 2008. METHODS Five network clinics without in-house pharmacies are remotely connected to a central pharmacy to provide telepharmacy services. METHODS Automated drug dispensing system (ADDS) units, webcams, and electronic medical charts were used to provide remote medication order processing/dispensing, patient counseling, refill authorizations, and medication assistance referral services. METHODS Patient demographics; numbers of dispensed medications, patient consultations, refill authorizations, and service referrals; pharmacist feedback; and workflow changes. RESULTS At five network sites, 12,000 patients received 3,282 new prescriptions per month with webcam-enabled consultations, 589 monthly refill prescriptions, 2,800 pharmacist-provided refill authorizations, and 250 medication assistance referrals. Antibiotics were the most frequently dispensed medications. Pharmacists commented that webcam-enabled interviews provided better privacy and longer counseling duration. Six new staff members (one pharmacist and five pharmacy technicians) were added. Workspace and staff responsibilities were reassigned to facilitate medication prepackaging and ADDS prescription processing. CONCLUSIONS Expanded application of telepharmacy technology can improve patient access to pharmaceutical care beyond remote medication dispensing to include point-of-care refill authorization and medication assistance referrals. Further research to explore patient-focused services and to assess economic, humanistic, and clinical outcomes of telepharmacy services is needed.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D011307 Drug Prescriptions Directions written for the obtaining and use of DRUGS. Drug Prescribing,Drug Prescription,Drug Prescribings,Prescribing, Drug,Prescribings, Drug
D012017 Referral and Consultation The practice of sending a patient to another program or practitioner for services or advice which the referring source is not prepared to provide. Consultation,Gatekeepers, Health Service,Hospital Referral,Second Opinion,Consultation and Referral,Health Service Gatekeepers,Hospital Referrals,Referral,Referral, Hospital,Referrals, Hospital,Consultations,Gatekeeper, Health Service,Health Service Gatekeeper,Opinion, Second,Opinions, Second,Referrals,Second Opinions
D003151 Community Health Centers Facilities which administer the delivery of health care services to people living in a community or neighborhood. Neighborhood Health Centers,Satellite Centers,Center, Community Health,Center, Neighborhood Health,Center, Satellite,Centers, Community Health,Centers, Neighborhood Health,Centers, Satellite,Community Health Center,Health Center, Community,Health Center, Neighborhood,Health Centers, Community,Health Centers, Neighborhood,Neighborhood Health Center,Satellite Center
D003157 Community Pharmacy Services Total pharmaceutical services provided to the public through community pharmacies. Community Pharmaceutic Services,Community Pharmaceutical Services,Pharmaceutic Services, Community,Pharmaceutical Service, Community,Pharmaceutical Services, Community,Pharmacy Services, Community,Service, Community Pharmaceutic,Service, Community Pharmaceutical,Service, Community Pharmacy,Services, Community Pharmaceutic,Services, Community Pharmaceutical,Services, Community Pharmacy,Community Pharmaceutic Service,Community Pharmaceutical Service,Community Pharmacy Service,Pharmaceutic Service, Community,Pharmacy Service, Community
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D014861 Washington State bounded by on the north by Canada, on the east by Idaho, on the south by Oregon, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean.
D016303 Clinical Pharmacy Information Systems Information systems, usually computer-assisted, designed to store, manipulate, and retrieve information for planning, organizing, directing, and controlling administrative activities associated with the provision and utilization of clinical pharmacy services. Information Systems, Clinical Pharmacy
D016347 Medical Records Systems, Computerized Computer-based systems for input, storage, display, retrieval, and printing of information contained in a patient's medical record. Automated Medical Records Systems,Computerized Medical Records Systems,Automated Medical Record System,Automated Medical Record Systems,Automated Medical Records System,Computerized Medical Record System,Computerized Medical Record Systems,Computerized Medical Records System,Computerized Patient Medical Records,Medical Record System, Automated,Medical Record System, Computerized,Medical Record Systems, Automated,Medical Record Systems, Computerized,Medical Records System, Automated,Medical Records System, Computerized,Medical Records Systems, Automated
D017216 Telemedicine Delivery of health services via remote telecommunications. This includes interactive consultative and diagnostic services. Tele-Care,Tele-ICU,Tele-Intensive Care,Tele-Referral,Telecare,Virtual Medicine,Mobile Health,Telehealth,eHealth,mHealth,Health, Mobile,Medicine, Virtual,Tele Care,Tele ICU,Tele Intensive Care,Tele Referral,Tele-Referrals
D050316 Medical Order Entry Systems Information systems, usually computer-assisted, that enable providers to initiate medical procedures, prescribe medications, etc. These systems support medical decision-making and error-reduction during patient care. CPOE,Order Entry Systems, Medical,Alert Systems, Medication,Computerized Physician Order Entry,Computerized Physician Order Entry System,Computerized Provider Order Entry,Computerized Provider Order Entry System,Medication Alert Systems,Alert System, Medication,Medication Alert System,System, Medication Alert

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