Providing nighttime pharmaceutical services through telepharmacy.

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Practice
• Health Services Research
• Telehealth

Background:

• Community hospitals often lack 24/7 pharmacy staffing due to insufficient nighttime medication-related activity.
• After-hours medication access traditionally relies on nursing/medical staff, automated dispensing cabinets, and floor stock, with pharmacist review delayed to the next day.
• This model presents challenges in timely medication order review and drug-related problem resolution.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the implementation and impact of a novel nighttime telepharmacy service at a community hospital.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of remote pharmacy services in improving medication safety and accessibility during off-hours.
• To assess the utilization and staff satisfaction with the telepharmacy model.

Main Methods:

• Implemented a hybrid model combining an outsourced telepharmacy service with existing on-call pharmacist coverage.
• Telepharmacy provided prospective order review, drug information, and clinical pharmacy consultations during nighttime hours.
• Data collected on order volume, types of therapies reviewed, and user feedback from hospital staff.

Main Results:

• The telepharmacy service reviewed 1039 drug orders in the first three months, with 29% involving high-risk therapies.
• Critical care, medical-surgical units, and the emergency department were primary users of the service.
• Hospital staff, including physicians and nurses, reported favorable feedback and requested service expansion.

Conclusions:

• A nighttime telepharmacy service can be successfully implemented in a community hospital setting.
• This model effectively provides essential medication order review, drug information, and clinical pharmacy services during off-hours.
• Telepharmacy enhances medication safety and accessibility, meeting the needs of hospital staff and improving patient care.