Designing the Sisaket Telepharmacy Network Application

Abstract

Objective: To develop an application for providing telepharmacy services by the network of hospital and “heartwarming community pharmacies” in Sisaket Province (the Application) Method: This study was an action research by conducting in-depth interviews with recipients of telepharmacy service to collect information on needs, problems and opinions towards the system of telepharmacy services. The obtained information was input in focus group discussions with the application development team consisting of 6 pharmacists at Sisaket Hospital and one community pharmacist. Results: The requirement of the Application among service recipients and those in the application development team included the following features: system of the Application should enable drug counseling before and after provision of telepharmacy services to patients by hospital pharmacists and community pharmacists in the network; the Application could be used to contact the service recipient in order to monitor drug use problems, side effects of medications and to record and update all service recipients' information; the Application should be secured by solely granting permission to access information for pharmacists providing telepharmacy services of Sisaket Hospital and community pharmacists in the network. Conclusion: The developed application has features meeting the needs of service clients and pharmacists providing telepharmacy services. It can be used as a tool to transmit information between those within Sisaket telepharmacy network and to monitor drug safety among telepharmacy recipients which could facilitate service provision. The Application could help expand professional role of community pharmacists as well as reduce the workload of hospital pharmacists.