Telepharmacy 101: an Introduction to the Practice of Telepharmacy
Telepharmacy 101: An Introduction to the Practice of Telepharmacy
Alex Graber Mitch Larson [email protected] [email protected] Agenda
● What is retail telepharmacy?
● Why telepharmacy matters
● Use cases and benefits of telepharmacy
● Telepharmacy workflow and TelePharm software demo
● Pursuing telepharmacy with TelePharm
● Q&A What is a retail telepharmacy? A telepharmacy is:
A brick-and-mortar location, just like any other pharmacy, but:
● A pharmacist is not on-site
● Pharmacists verify prescriptions for the telepharmacy through either a live video feed or images (TelePharm)
● Pharmacists counsel patients via a live video call Telepharmacy dates back to the 1920s
Michigan & Missouri Australia’s Royal Flying Pass Telepharmacy Doctor Service NDSU study (25 states now permit its use) 2001 2006
1928 2002 2020
North Dakota: first US US Navy begins state to allow telepharmacy Community Health Assoc. in Spokane, WA Telepharmacy is widespread today 25 states permit retail telepharmacy 215+ Retail telepharmacies nationwide
Permitted, but practice may be restricted In progress Not permitted Poll Question: Based on the map on the previous slide, does your state allow the practice of telepharmacy? Why it matters Need for alternative delivery 1,231 Independent Rural Pharmacies 2003-2018 independent rural 7,624 pharmacies closed
12.116.1%% decreasedecrease
2007-2009
7.2% 6,393 decrease 630 rural communities lost their only pharmacy Source: Update: Independently Owned Pharmacy Closures in Rural America, 2003-2018; RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis, Rural Policy Brief July 2018; Abiodun Salako, MPH; Fred Ullrich, BA; Keith J. Mueller, PhD Rural access is declining
1,231 64+ million 1.7+ million Independent pharmacies People in the US Residents living in rural closed between 2003-2018. living in rural areas pharmacy deserts 10+ miles from the nearest pharmacy
Source: Update: Independently Owned Pharmacy Closures in Rural America, 2003-2018; RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis, Rural Policy Brief July 2018; Abiodun Salako, MPH; Fred Ullrich, BA; Keith J. Mueller, PhD Need for improved access in urban areas
1+ miles 32% or 1 million Closure risk Distance to the nearest People in Chicago’s 802 Increased in urban pharmacies pharmacy in an urban census tracts were in urban serving more low-income, pharmacy desert pharmacy deserts uninsured, or publicly insured
Source: Qato, Daviglus, Wilder, Lee, Quato, Lambert. (2014). ‘Pharmacy deserts’ are prevalent in Chicago’s predominantly minority communities, raising medication access concerns. Health Affairs, 1958-1965. https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/pdf/10.1377/hlthaff.2013.1397 Poll Question: Do you live/work in a rural area or urban? Benefits of telepharmacy
● Share & maximize resources across locations
● Combat slim margins & declining reimbursements
● Expand pharmacy business
● Open telepharmacies in underserved areas
● Offer convenient dispensing at point of care
● Convert existing pharmacies to telepharmacy in the case of retirement or closure
● Free up pharmacist time to counsel patients, perform MTMs, immunizations Use Cases Uses of telepharmacy
Telepharmacy: Load Balancing: TeleCounsel:
Telepharmacy Host Pharmacy
Remote verification Workload balancing Remote counseling Use Cases
❖ Community pharmacy (rural or urban) ❖ Outpatient hospitals & health system pharmacies ❖ CHC & FQHC ❖ Specialty pharmacy ❖ Mental health centers ❖ Employer campuses & schools ❖ Physician’s offices ❖ And more… Independent telepharmacy next to a rural clinic
❖ Several years without a pharmacy in town
❖ 24 miles away from the nearest pharmacy
❖ Patients left town for pharmacy services, so clinic struggled
❖ Telepharmacy located next to the clinic keeps patients in town
❖ Clinic uses TeleCounsel as well for NuCara Pharmacy collaborative counseling with patient Zearing, IA Retail telepharmacy in a Community Health Center
❖ Partnership with clinic
❖ Allows on-site pharmacy at low volume locations
❖ Ability to utilize pharmacists more effectively in the clinic
UW Health Madison, Wisconsin Source: https://www.telepharm.com/success-stories/madison-wi-health-system-provides-better-pharmacy-access- for-chc-patients/ Poll Question: Are there underserved areas or other use cases you can think of that could benefit from telepharmacy in your area? Telepharmacy Workflow Telepharmacy workflow overview Demo Steps to Telepharmacy Implementation Steps to implementing telepharmacy
Check Your State’s Explore Use Cases Regulations for Your Pharmacy
● Is telepharmacy permitted in your state? ● What opportunities exist for you? ● What specific laws and regulations affect ● Rural/urban clinics to partner with? telepharmacy practice? ● Looking to expand your pharmacy ● telepharm.com/telepharmacy-regulations business or convert a struggling location?
Examine Potential Analyze Software Locations Solutions
● Pharmacy deserts are great locations for ● Telepharmacy software should sync with telepharmacy. your PMS. ● Explore the pharmacy deserts in your state. ● Easy-to-use, learn, install, and train. ● info.telepharm.com/state-pharmacy-deserts-map ● Responsive and helpful support team for troubleshooting. Advocate for Good Policy in Your State
Do you see a need in your state?
We have…
● Draft legislation and regulation ● Pilot proposals ● Study data demonstrating safety ● Lists and breakdown of existing regulations ● Connections to current operators ● Advocacy letters to state boards of pharmacy, pharmacy associations, state legislators ● And more… visit telepharm.com/telepharmacy-regulations to learn more and to contact our Regulatory Affairs team Questions?
Alex Graber Regulatory info: [email protected] telepharm.com/telepharmacy-regulations