Telehealth: Moving Older People Along the Adoption Trajectory

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Gerontology
• Pharmaceutical Sciences

Background:

• Telehealth adoption accelerated globally due to the recent pandemic.
• Technological adoption follows a bell curve, with older adults often being laggards.
• Barriers for older adults include physical, mental, emotional, and technological limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the current utilization of telehealth by pharmacists.
• To identify challenges and barriers hindering telehealth adoption among older populations.
• To propose strategies for pharmacists to overcome these barriers and enhance telehealth accessibility.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on telehealth and its applications in healthcare.
• Analysis of adoption patterns of new technologies, focusing on demographic differences.
• Examination of potential roles for pharmacists in facilitating telehealth services.

Main Results:

• Telehealth effectively delivers care remotely, reducing exposure to infectious diseases.
• Potential for decreased emergency department visits and demonstrated cost savings in long-term care.
• Limited research exists on pharmacists' specific use of telehealth, indicating a knowledge gap.

Conclusions:

• Pharmacists can play a crucial role in bridging the digital divide for older adults in telehealth.
• Identifying and mitigating barriers is essential for equitable telehealth implementation.
• Further research is needed to understand and optimize pharmacists' engagement with telehealth services.