The Need to Educate Pharmacy Students in Telepharmacy and Telehealth

The global pandemic has dramatically impacted how pharmacists connect with patients. Telepharmacy and telehealth technologies are being used by pharmacists in a multitude of settings to positively influence the health and wellbeing of patients. Having pharmacists that are prepared to deliver services using telepharmacy and telehealth necessitates that Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) students receive tele-education. Tele-education topics may include telepharmacy and telehealth, audio and visual technologies, etiquette, law, reimbursement, and privacy and confidentiality. In many cases, the pandemic has required pharmacy programs to incorporate tele-education into curriculums quickly, resulting in limited and underdeveloped experiences for students. Tele-education should be purposefully incorporated into curriculums through a combination of didactic, simulation, and experiential training. Programs should evaluate how tele-education is taught within their curriculum and share those experiences with the Academy as pharmacy graduates will likely be providing patient care services using telepharmacy and telehealth.