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The 4 Di�erent Types of Telepharmacy 

 Zach Schladetzky | April 10, 2018

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Retail community telepharmacies provide much needed care to patients underserved in rural areas, but how else can
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healthcare facilities tap into the bene�ts of telepharmacy technology? 

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"Telepharmacy can be used wherever there is not a pharmacist Email*

physically present to help provide the quality of care that's needed."

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- Allie Woods, PharmD, ASHP

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Although that’s an accurate statement by Allie in this Drug Topics article, what about the speci�cs? How can telepharmacy
be implemented to bene�t patients, safety and health outcomes? Let’s take it a step further and look at the four di�erent SIGN UP!
types of telepharmacy.

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1. Inpatient (remote order-entry review)
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Inpatient telepharmacy refers to a pharmacist at a remote location performing remote order-entry services for an
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inpatient pharmacy at a hospital. The remote pharmacist reviews medication orders before the hospital sta� administers
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Hospitals and health systems bene�t from inpatient telepharmacy as it allows for real-time medication order review and
veri�cation. Remote order-entry review in a health system serves as an extension of the in-house pharmacy. With  Pharmacy Technician Day 2021
inpatient telepharmacy, remote pharmacists are able to provide 24/7 coverage or �ll-in during peak hours to help Highlight: Austin Hook
supplement and strengthen the inpatient pharmacy.
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2. Remote dispensing (retail/outpatient/discharge) 

De�nition

A remote-dispensing site, or retail community telepharmacy, is a licensed brick-and-mortar pharmacy sta�ed by a

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certi�ed pharmacy technician (or two, depending on volume). A pharmacist supervises the technician,
reviews prescriptions and performs his or her duties from a remote location via technology. Imagine a traditional
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pharmacy, except the pharmacist is located o�-site.

Uses

Typically used in retail community pharmacy and outpatient/discharge pharmacy settings, telepharmacy gives patients
convenient access to a pharmacist and prescription medication no matter geographic location. Remote dispensing allows
healthcare organizations to open retail telepharmacy sites in areas where a traditional pharmacy would not be feasible
by sharing the cost of a pharmacist across multiple stores. Additionally, telepharmacy works to reduce readmission rates
by improving patient adherence, helps improve �nancial performance and creates a better patient experience all while
expanding your geographic footprint.

Is telepharmacy legal in your state? View our map to �nd out!

3. IV admixture
De�nition

The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) de�nes IV admixture as, “the preparation of

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pharmaceutical product which requires the measured addition of a medication to a 50 mL or greater bag or bottle of
intravenous �uid.” In layman's terms, IV admixture is the mixing of IV solution administered to patients in a hospital
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setting.

Uses

Hospital pharmacies can save time and money by implementing telepharmacy in the IV-admixture cleanroom. If a
pharmacist can review the IV admixture remotely, they save the time needed to suit up and enter the cleanroom to
review the solution. Freeing up pharmacists’ time allows them to focus on clinical activities and other revenue-generating
tasks. As an added bonus, implementing an image-based telepharmacy work�ow (such as ours) in a cleanroom allows
you to document each step of the process and minimize mistakes.

4. Remote counseling
De�nition

Remote-patient counseling equates to pharmacists providing patient counseling via a live-and-interactive video session,
or by some means through telecommunications.

Uses

Remote-patient counseling allows pharmacists to consult and provide a variety of pharmacy-care services to patients via
secure, live-video calls. Beyond being bene�cial to retail independents, community, clinic and hospital-based pharmacies,
remote counseling also provides opportunities for specialty counseling (diabetics/HIV/AIDS), discharge counseling and
various clinical interactions with pharmacists.  

Interested to learn more about retail telepharmacy? Download our beginner's guide.

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Thanks for reading! Does it sound like telepharmacy may be right for you? Please don't hesitate to contact us for more
information. Also, visit our Learn page for a slew of resources on telepharmacy.

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Rohit
10/30/2017, 6:17:10 PM

nice concept.

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Reply to Rohit

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