Authors (including presenting author) :
Chan ACY, Wong BPK, Chui WCM
Affiliation :
Department of Pharmacy, Queen Mary Hospital
Introduction :
Telepharmacy is a form of Telehealth service which enables Pharmacists to deliver Pharmaceutical Care to patients at distance via telecommunication. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Clinical Pharmacists of Queen Mary Hospital pioneered a Pilot Project on Telepharmacy Service to identify patients’ drug related problems (DRPs) at home.
Objectives :
(1)To explore the feasibility of service model of Telepharmacy Service
(2)To investigate patients’ acceptance towards Telepharmacy Service
(3)To collect patients’ feedback to guide future development of Telepharmacy Service in Hong Kong
Methodology :
Patients from Specialist Out-Patient Clinic (SOPC) or discharged from wards with potential drug non-adherence were referred to Pharmacist Clinic by physicians. Face-to-face drug review by Pharmacist was performed to screen drug non-adherence or DRPs, and to empower patients for better therapeutic outcomes. For cases requiring follow-up session(s), Pharmacist offered patient and caregivers, with their consents, an option for joining Telepharmacy Service. The Service included reassessing patient’s drug adherence, identifying any new DRPs and optimizing medication management at home. Standards of service, intervention documentation and patient’s data privacy under Telepharmacy Service were maintained the same as conventional Pharmacist Clinic.
Result & Outcome :
Result:
During the third wave of COVID-19 pandemic (23 June - 15 September, 2020), 19 patients and/or caregivers were recruited for Telepharmacy Service with 17 video conferencing calls successfully made. 17 Patient Satisfaction Surveys were collected. 82% patients agreed that Telepharmacy was “convenient”, and 76% patients agreed the service “helps them to understand their medications”. A discharged patient reflected “it is very helpful for newly discharged cases to increase understanding to any changes made to drug regimen”. Some patients preferred Telepharmacy service over face-to-face follow-up as they could perform inhaler techniques without the concern on wearing a mask. Majority commented on the service as “saving travelling time”, “shortening waiting time” and “easy to use”.
Conclusions:
When patients have limited access to public hospital services during COVID-19 outbreak, the Department of Pharmacy has facilitated medication refills to ensure continuity of treatment of our patients. To cater for escalating demand of Pharmaceutical Care from patients, this Pilot Telepharmacy Service aims to devise a Patient-centered care model for future development. Being supported and recognized by patients, caregivers and healthcare professions, especially those discharged or with changes in regimen, we believe the modified service model could empower patients in their medication management.
