Telepharmacy versus Face-to-Face Approach in Providing Inhaler Technique Training Service: A Non-Inferiority...

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy education
• Digital health
• Patient care training

Background:

• Telepharmacy services are expanding, but concerns exist regarding their suitability for medical device training.
• This study addresses the perception that telepharmacy may be inappropriate for training pharmacy students and professionals on medical devices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate if telepharmacy is non-inferior to face-to-face (F2F) training for inhaler technique.
• To compare pharmacy students' self-assessment and perceptions of telepharmacy versus F2F training.

Main Methods:

• A randomized crossover non-inferiority trial involving undergraduate pharmacy students.
• Outcomes measured using Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) scores for inhaler technique demonstration and practice.
• Self-assessment and perception questionnaires were administered to participants.

Main Results:

• Telepharmacy was found to be non-inferior to F2F training for inhaler technique, meeting the -10% non-inferiority margin.
• No significant differences in student self-confidence were observed between telepharmacy and F2F modes.
• Participants generally reported positive perceptions of telepharmacy for inhaler technique training.

Conclusions:

• Telepharmacy presents a viable alternative to F2F consultations for inhaler technique training.
• Integrating more telepharmacy-focused content and simulations into pharmacy curricula is recommended to enhance training effectiveness.