Applying Telepharmacy in patients with inhalation devices during COVID-19 pandemic at Somdet Phra Sangharaja 19 Hospital

Abstract

Patients in the Respiratory Disease group such as Asthma COPD and Allergic rhinitis, who need ongoing treatment, mostly receiving inhalation devices, which require special techniques. But in the situation of the COVID-19 pandemic, patients have been affected by access to standardized services such as pulmonary function tests, assessments of inhalation techniques due to the need for social distancing and decrease the risk of spreading infection between healthcare personnel and other patients.  This study was a qualitative study in adjusting service process of the traditional system to increase access pharmaceutical care with telepharmacy where patients came to receive services in Easy Asthma And COPD clinic (EACC), Somdet Phra Sangharaja 19 Hospital, Kanchanaburi Province. In order to increase access to pharmaceutical care with the telepharmacy, a study of 60 patients came to EACC found that patients had access to pharmaceutical care by 69.7% (n=23), with 55% (n=33) having access to communication devices, applications and the internet, but 10 patients that dropped out of the study, because of the inconvenience in time to video calls of patients and caregivers who had to work in full-time. Telepharmacy outcomes were found to help in finding the number of drug related problems, 35 more problems in first video call, increase from 11 problems when patients come to hospital during the COVID-19 outbreak. The drug related problem with increasing is a matter of using Inhalation devices incorrected  technique 71.43%, especially the metered dose inhaler device, which is a limitation in assessment the use of inhalers at hospitals during the pandemic. The results from telepharmacy service can reduce drug related problems by 73.68%, suggesting a trend that the telepharmacy could help to find drug related problem in addition to the traditional system and reduce problem in drug use. Patients have access to more standardized pharmaceutical services in a pandemic.