Annotated Bibliography
Baldoni, S., Amenta, F., & Ricci, G. (2019). Telepharmacy services: Present status and future perspectives: A review. Medicina, 55(7), 327. Web.
The study is an analysis of the literature in PubMed on telepharmacy. The authors reviewed the multifaceted phenomenon of telepharmacy and summarized various experiences in this area. The researchers concluded that the use of telecommunication technologies in pharmacy is effective. This makes it possible to solve the problem of the shortage of medical personnel, especially pharmacists. Moreover, it contributes to providing adequate pharmaceutical care in underserved areas.
Dat, T. V., Tu, V. L., Quan, N. K., Minh, N. H., Trung, T. D., Le, T. N., Phuc-Vinh, D., Trinh, D. T., Pham Dinh, L., Nguyen-Thi, H. Y., & Huy, N. T. (2022). Telepharmacy: A systematic review of field application, benefits, limitations, and applicability during the COVID-19 pandemic. Telemedicine and e-Health, 2022. Web.
The authors conducted a systematic review of 39 relevant articles on telepharmacy. The features of the use of telecommunication technologies in pharmacy, their advantages and disadvantages, as well as their applicability during the COVID-19 pandemic, were studied. A review of sources showed that telepharmacy plays a vital role in addressing the shortage of pharmacists. Moreover, it helps patients take their medications safely and effectively in underserved areas. According to Data et al. (2022), during the COVID-19 pandemic, remote issuance and counseling are effective measures to prevent infection.
Ibrahim, O. M., Ibrahim, R. M., Z Al Meslamani, A., & Al Mazrouei, N. (2020). Role of telepharmacy in pharmacist counselling to coronavirus disease 2019 patients and medication dispensing errors. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 1357633X20964347. Web..
This is one of the first studies to provide high-quality evidence of the impact of telepharmacy on COVID-19 patients’ access to pharmaceutical care and the safety of dispensing medications. Ibrahim et al. (2020) conducted a prospective, disguised, observational study in 52 community pharmacies across all seven states of the United Arab Emirates using proportionate random sampling. The authors made two main conclusions. First, the study found that telepharmacy services increase patients’ access to pharmaceutical care. Secondly, it helps to reduce the number of errors in dispensing medicines.
Le, T., Toscani, M., & Colaizzi, J. (2020). Telepharmacy: A new paradigm for our profession. Journal of Pharmacy Practice, 33(2), 176-182. Web.
The researchers conducted a literature review to determine how telepharmacy is practised in community and outpatient pharmacies, its effectiveness, and how it is regulated in the US. Le et al. (2020) found that telemedicine can improve and optimize community and hospital pharmacies. Moreover, it reduces medication errors, reduces order processing time, and improves access to care. An equally significant aspect of introducing teletechnologies in pharmacy is the increase in pharmacists’ satisfaction. The researchers believe that telepharmacy will continue to expand due to its effectiveness.
McCarthy, C., Bateman Jr, M. T., Henderson, T., Jean, R., & Evans, R. (2021). Adoption of telepharmacy within a community health center: A focus on clinical pharmacy services. Journal of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy, 4(8), 924-933. Web.
The authors outline how telemedicine is being used to provide pharmacy services in a community health center. McCarthy et al. (2021) discuss the impact of telemedicine services and provide a framework for building successful telemedicine programs in outpatient settings. The researchers found that visits increased when teletechnology was introduced into the clinical pharmacy. McCarthy et al. (2021) detected that patients who visit a telepharmacy receive higher quality services than those who visit in person. Thus, the results show that telepharmacy effectively provides care, especially for chronic diseases.
Outline
Topic Overview
General Information
Telepharmacy is the integration of pharmacy software, remote control cabinets and telecommunications technology to provide pharmaceutical services at a distance.
Background
Telemedicine is one of the fastest-growing segments of healthcare in the world. In turn, the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the development of telemedicine, including in the pharmacy field. Thus, nowadays, telepharmacy is dynamically integrating into traditional US healthcare.
Issues
On the one hand, telepharmacy expands access to quality health care. On the other hand, telepharmacy has several legal and privacy issues that need to be addressed before it can become a well-established part of healthcare.
Thesis Statement
Telepharmacy can significantly improve and advance the world of healthcare, not only for providers but also for patients.
Ideas for Body Paragraphs
Body Paragraph 1
Topic Sentence
The introduction of telecommunication technologies in pharmacy expands access to medical care.
Supporting Idea
This makes pharmacy services more accessible to those who live in rural or isolated areas, as well as those with limited mobility or time (Ibrahim et al., 2020).
Body Paragraph 2
Topic Sentence
Telepharmacy significantly increases the level of service and patient satisfaction.
Supporting Idea
For those with access to telepharmacy services, there are many valuable services available, including comprehensive medication management, medication therapy management, medication reconciliation post-discharge, drug information, review, and monitoring, as well as patient assessment and counseling. This enables patients to have more timely access to pharmaceutical services, increases their involvement and participation in care, and improves convenience (Le et al., 2020).
Body Paragraph 3
Topic Sentence
In addition to patients, pharmacies and the healthcare system as a whole benefit from telepharmacy.
Supporting Idea
Pharmacies using telepharmacists reach more patients, which is cost-effective (Dat et al., 2022; Baldoni et al., 2019). The healthcare system wins because telepharmacy helps improve patient health and wellness, which reduces the number of patients who need to go to the emergency department and lowers the overall cost of care (McCarthy et al., 2021).
Body Paragraph 4
Topic Sentence
The introduction of telecommunication technologies in pharmacy is associated with some difficulties.
Supporting Idea
An increased risk to the security and integrity of patient data is a potential disadvantage of telepharmacy (Baldoni et al., 2019). Another factor hindering the promotion of more telepharmacies is that most places in the United States have not yet adapted to the telepharmacy concept (Dat et al., 2022). Revising laws and setting rules and regulations for telepharmacy in all states is a complex and time-consuming task.
Conclusion
Thus, the introduction of telecommunications technologies in pharmacy has great potential since it expands the access of special categories of citizens to medical care, increases the level of service and patient satisfaction, and increases the economic efficiency of pharmacies and the healthcare system. However, limitations such as patient privacy and legal issues need to be considered when expanding telepharmacy.
References
Baldoni, S., Amenta, F., & Ricci, G. (2019). Telepharmacy services: Present status and future perspectives: A review. Medicina, 55(7), 327. Web.
Dat, T. V., Tu, V. L., Quan, N. K., Minh, N. H., Trung, T. D., Le, T. N., Phuc-Vinh, D., Trinh, D. T., Pham Dinh, L., Nguyen-Thi, H. Y., & Huy, N. T. (2022). Telepharmacy: A systematic review of field application, benefits, limitations, and applicability during the COVID-19 pandemic. Telemedicine and e-Health, 2022. Web.
Ibrahim, O. M., Ibrahim, R. M., Z Al Meslamani, A., & Al Mazrouei, N. (2020). Role of telepharmacy in pharmacist counselling to coronavirus disease 2019 patients and medication dispensing errors. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 1357633X20964347. Web.
Le, T., Toscani, M., & Colaizzi, J. (2020). Telepharmacy: A new paradigm for our profession. Journal of Pharmacy Practice, 33(2), 176-182. Web.
McCarthy, C., Bateman Jr, M. T., Henderson, T., Jean, R., & Evans, R. (2021). Adoption of telepharmacy within a community health center: A focus on clinical pharmacy services. Journal of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy, 4(8), 924-933. Web.