THE PROBLEM AND REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES
Chapter 1
THE PROBLEM AND REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES
Introduction The practice of Pharmacy has gradually improved over the last few years, from the traditional practice, patient counseling to dispensing automation, the practice continue to develop more means to deliver efficient pharmaceutical care and facilitate the reduction of medication errors in all aspects of health care. Interestingly, one of the means that was implemented is the program called Telepharmacy. This program is currently practiced in North Dakota, Washington and Australia. Telepharmacy is defined as “the use of state-of-the-art telecommunication technology by the pharmacists to be able to provide pharmaceutical care to patients at a distance.” (Khatri, 2006). Factors associated with the hindering of quality pharmaceutical service in remote communities are geographical barriers, lack of available pharmacists working on remote towns, distance of the pharmacies, financial issues and unavailability of the medicines, which will be sufficiently addressed by implementing the telepharmacy. Several studies have also concluded that limited pharmacist hours adversely affect the contributions that pharmacists can make to medication safety in rural hospitals. (M. Casey et al., 2008). With the implementation of Telepharmacy, delivery of 24-hours pharmaceutical service will be addressed.
As telecommunication being an indispensable part of effective exchange of information, its application to the practice of dispensing medical information poses a valuable contribution to the field of Pharmacy, paving another means to effective delivery of pharmaceutical care to patients at a distance. With the modernization and growing complexity of medicines being capable of curing, mitigating and treating disease, the need for the Pharmacists becomes more evident to ensure the safe and cost-effective use of it. Since the Telepharmacy program is capable of developing better access to a more efficient
THE PROBLEM AND REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES
Introduction The practice of Pharmacy has gradually improved over the last few years, from the traditional practice, patient counseling to dispensing automation, the practice continue to develop more means to deliver efficient pharmaceutical care and facilitate the reduction of medication errors in all aspects of health care. Interestingly, one of the means that was implemented is the program called Telepharmacy. This program is currently practiced in North Dakota, Washington and Australia. Telepharmacy is defined as “the use of state-of-the-art telecommunication technology by the pharmacists to be able to provide pharmaceutical care to patients at a distance.” (Khatri, 2006). Factors associated with the hindering of quality pharmaceutical service in remote communities are geographical barriers, lack of available pharmacists working on remote towns, distance of the pharmacies, financial issues and unavailability of the medicines, which will be sufficiently addressed by implementing the telepharmacy. Several studies have also concluded that limited pharmacist hours adversely affect the contributions that pharmacists can make to medication safety in rural hospitals. (M. Casey et al., 2008). With the implementation of Telepharmacy, delivery of 24-hours pharmaceutical service will be addressed.
As telecommunication being an indispensable part of effective exchange of information, its application to the practice of dispensing medical information poses a valuable contribution to the field of Pharmacy, paving another means to effective delivery of pharmaceutical care to patients at a distance. With the modernization and growing complexity of medicines being capable of curing, mitigating and treating disease, the need for the Pharmacists becomes more evident to ensure the safe and cost-effective use of it. Since the Telepharmacy program is capable of developing better access to a more efficient