Telepharmacy during COVID-19: A Scoping Review.

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy
• Health Informatics
• Public Health

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of telehealth services.
• Telepharmacy emerged as a critical component of healthcare delivery during the pandemic surge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To summarize telepharmacy implementation during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• To identify implemented initiatives, challenges, strategies, and innovations in telepharmacy.

Main Methods:

• Scoping review of literature published post-March 2020.
• Searches conducted via PubMed Central and Google.
• Inclusion/exclusion criteria applied to 33 reviewed articles.

Main Results:

• Common telepharmacy initiatives included virtual consultations, home medicine delivery, and patient education.
• Key challenges involved limited technology access and digital literacy.
• Successful implementation strategies focused on patient and pharmacist education.

Conclusions:

• Relaxed regulations and new protocols facilitated telepharmacy adoption.
• Patient and pharmacist education were crucial for overcoming implementation barriers.
• Opportunities exist for pharmacy organizations, payers, and entrepreneurs to leverage telepharmacy.