ASHP Statement on Telepharmacy

ASHP believes appropriately trained and equipped pharmacists can use telepharmacy to remotely oversee pharmacy operations and provide distributive, clinical, analytical, and managerial services. ASHP advocates that telepharmacy be applied to suitable functions of pharmacy operations and patient care to improve patient outcomes, expand access to healthcare, and enhance patient safety. ASHP further advocates that boards of pharmacy adopt compatible regulations that enable the use of U.S.-based telepharmacy services within and across state lines for appropriate practice settings and that further research be conducted to establish best practices for telepharmacy. Telemedicine. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) describes telemedicine as a means for improving a patient’s health by permitting two-way, real-time, interactive communication between a patient and a healthcare provider who are geographically separated.1 This communication is conducted via interactive telecommunications equipment that includes, at a minimum, audio and video equipment to meet standards for telehealth set by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.2 It is important to recognize, however, that telemedicine is a rapidly evolving field and that new methods of telecommunications, such as texting and mobile applications, are already in use. Standards for interactive telecommunications equipment that include text and binary data must address interactions with and without audio and video. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has established definitions, standards, and methodologies for mobile medical applications.3