A pharmacist-managed telemedicine clinic for hepatitis C care: a descriptive analysis

We established a pharmacist-led telemedicine clinic to manage patients with chronic hepatitis C infection. The clinic used individual pharmacist-to-patient consultations. There was also a group hepatitis C patient education class. The hepatitis C telemedicine service began in February 2011 and was available at three remote sites (Santa Maria, Bakersfield and East Los Angeles) from the main site in West Los Angeles. A total of 96 patients were seen through telemedicine in the first nine months. A patient satisfaction survey was conducted at the end of 2011 and 18 questionnaires were returned. In comparison with visits to the clinic in West Los Angeles, all patients were at least equally satisfied with telemedicine and there were no patients who were less satisfied with telemedicine. Telemedicine reduced the travelling distance and time it took for patients to attend their clinic appointment. 82% of patients preferred their future hepatitis C clinic visits to be conducted via telemedicine and 78% would prefer any future clinic visit for any disease state management to be conducted via telemedicine. The use of telemedicine increased the opportunities for patients living in remote areas to receive care for hepatitis C management.