Please take a seat in the virtual waiting room: Telepharmacy education in the pharmacy curriculum

Abstract

IntroductionStudent pharmacists who are tasked with providing patient care via telepharmacy may experience difficulty in integrating the clinical skills used for in-person counseling with the virtual environment. Navigation of the telepharmacy environment requires a unique set of skills that are currently lacking in pharmacy education. This commentary highlights opportunities to incorporate telepharmacy training into the current pharmacy curricula. CommentaryRecent advances in telehealth infrastructure and patient satisfaction with telehealth services will likely result in greater use of telehealth services in all sectors of health care, including pharmacy practice. While certain aspects of pharmacy practice, such as collecting a medication history, may transition smoothly to the virtual environment, other aspects, such as counseling on proper drug administration and device use, require a unique set of skills for successful communication. Teaching skills unique to telepharmacy will ultimately prepare student pharmacists to provide higher quality, patient-centered care. ImplicationsPharmacy education has the opportunity to expand to accommodate this growing aspect of the field. Schools of pharmacy as well as the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education can adopt standards that address teaching telepharmacy. Didactic and experiential pharmacy education can begin to incorporate telepharmacy skills training to best prepare student pharmacists for the future.