D3 Telepharmacy: A new era of care
Tuesday 12 September 2017
12:30-14:00
COEX Convention & Exhibition Center : Auditorium 1 hours
Chairs: Jaime Acosta Gómez (Farmacia Acosta, Spain) and Sylvain Grenier (Canadian Forces, Canada)
Introduction
Telepharmacy is the delivery of pharmaceutical care via telecommunications to patients in locations where they may not have direct contact with a pharmacist. It is an instance of the wider phenomenon of telemedicine, as implemented in the field of pharmacy.
New patient care opportunities and many potential benefits of telemedicine can be envisaged, including: improved access to information; provision of care not previously deliverable; improved access to services and increasing care delivery, especially in underserved and rural areas; improved professional education; quality control of screening programmes; and reduced health-care costs. Although telemedicine clearly has a wide range of potential benefits, it also has some disadvantages such as: a potential breakdown in the relationship between health professional and patient; a potential breakdown in the relationship between health professionals; increased workload; issues concerning the quality of health information; and organisational and bureaucratic difficulties.
Already, telepharmacy has had a significant impact and its influence is beginning to show promise in underserved populations and rural communities, and as technology evolves to provide a better user experience with safer and more convenient tools greater number of patients will be supported remotely by a pharmacist.
Learning objectives
At the conclusion of this knowledge-based session, participants will be able to:
- Describe the process and singularities of telepharmacy versus traditional care.
- Identify the advantages and disadvantages of telepharmacy, and outcome metrics for results measurement.
- Specify the potential of telepharmacy, and future evolution and trends.
- Define different technological requirements and how they may affect practice.
Programme
12:30 – 13:00
1. Reaching four continents: The US Navy experience
Angelica Klinski (US Navy, USA)
13:00 – 13:30
2. Telepharmacy from community pharmacies: A practical experience
Lawrence “LB” Brown (American Pharmacists Association, USA)
13:30 – 14:00
3. Telepharmacy service in Denmark: Results so far
Helle Jacobsgaard (Association of Danish Pharmacies, Denmark)
