Exploring the perception and readiness of Pharmacists towards telepharmacy implementation; a cross sectional analysis

PeerJ

article

Khayal Muhammad¹  Mohamed A. Baraka³  Syed Sikandar Shah⁵  Muhammad Hammad Butt⁶  Haytham Wali⁷  Muhammad Saqlain⁸  Tauqeer Hussain Mallhi⁹  Khezar Hayat^1,10  Khairi Mustafa Fahelelbom^1,11  Royes Joseph^1,12  Yusra Habib Khan⁹ 

[1] Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Near East University;Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Abasyn University;Clinical Pharmacy Program, College of Pharmacy, Al Ain University;Clinical Pharmacy Department, College of Pharmacy, Al-Azhar University;Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, European University of Lefke;Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Central Punjab;Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Clinical Pharmacy, King Faisal University;Department of Pharmacy, Quaid-i-Azam University;Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Jouf University, Sakaka, Al-Jouf Province;Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Xi’an Jiaotong University;Pharmaceutical Sciences Program, College of Pharmacy, Al-Ain University;Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Clinical Pharmacy, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University

关键词: COVID-19;    Telepharmacy;    Pharmacist;    Regulation;    Implementation;   

DOI  :  10.7717/peerj.13296

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: Inra

【 摘 要 】

Background Amid the turbulent nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, telepharmacy has shifted the paradigm of patient care by leveraging digital medicine. Government mandated lockdowns and norms of social distancing have further underscored the need for telepharmacy. Many developed and developing countries implemented such initiatives where pharmacists have provided tele-pharmacy services via telecommunications. However, the implementation and utilization of tele-pharmacy services are quite negligible in resource limited settings due to financial and administrative constraints. This study was aimed to ascertain the perception and readiness of pharmacists working in various sectors of a resource limiting country. Methodology A cross sectional study was carried out in all provinces of Pakistan to explore the perceptions of pharmacists towards telepharmacy implementation through a 35-items study instrument. The collected data was analyzed descriptively and scored accordingly. The chi-square test was used for inferential analysis on pharmacist’s perception regarding implementation of tele-pharmacy with their demographics. Results Of 380 pharmacists, the mean age is 27.67 ± 3.67 years with a preponderance of male pharmacists (n = 238, 62.6%). The pharmacists (n = 321, 84.5%) perceived that telepharmacy implementation improves patient’s quality of life and decreases patients’ visits (n = 291, 76.6%). Overall, pharmacists (n = 227, 59.7%) had negative perception towards benefits of telepharmacy implementation, but pharmacists had positive perception towards eligibility (n = 258, 67.9%), regulatory issues (n = 271, 71.3%) and telepharmacy during pandemic and beyond (n = 312, 82.1%). In chi-square testing gender (p = 0.03) and age (p = 0.03) had a significant association with perception regarding regulatory issues. Among perception regarding telepharmacy during COVID-19 pandemic and beyond age had a significant association (p = 0.03). Among perception regarding eligibility job location of pharmacists had significant association (p = 0.04). Conclusion The majority of pharmacists had a positive perception regarding the eligibility of patients and regulatory issues/legal framework regarding the implementation of tele-pharmacy, as well as its use during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. The implementation of tele-pharmacy can play a major role in providing timely and better patient care to remote patient areas and may help in the prevention and treatment of different infectious diseases.

【 授权许可】

CC BY