School of Pharmacy, KPJ Healthcare University, Kota Seriemas, Nilai, Negeri Sembilan.
Department of Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Selangor Branch, Puncak Alam Campus, Bandar Puncak Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.
PLoS One. 2024 Aug 27;19(8):e0307897. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0307897. eCollection 2024.
The expansion of information technologies, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, has notably increased the use of remote services, including telehealth. Telepharmacy, a subset of telehealth, offers remote pharmaceutical care services, benefiting patients by providing advice and consultations without the need for physical pharmacy visits. This study aimed to assess public perceptions and awareness of telepharmacy in Malaysia. A cross-sectional study was conducted from Nov 2022 to May 2023, involving 387 Malaysian citizens aged 18 and above. Data collection utilised Google Forms distributed via social medias, covering demographics, technological readiness, awareness, perceptions, and willingness related to telepharmacy. The study demonstrated high digital readiness among respondents, owning smartphones and being adept in utilising various digital features. However, there was a lack of awareness regarding the concept of telepharmacy. Despite predominantly positive perceptions of its potential, only 48.1% of respondents showed willingness to utilise telepharmacy services. While respondents exhibited readiness for digital engagement, there was a notable deficit in understanding telepharmacy. Though perceptions were positive, willingness to embrace telepharmacy was moderate. Addressing the knowledge gap through targeted education initiatives might enhance acceptance. Future research should focus on integrating telepharmacy into healthcare systems considering public preferences, thereby evaluating its actual implementation and outcomes among diverse demographics.
信息技术的扩展，特别是在 COVID-19 大流行期间，显著增加了远程服务的使用，包括远程医疗。远程药学是远程医疗的一个分支，提供远程药学服务，通过提供咨询和建议而无需实体药店就诊，使患者受益。本研究旨在评估马来西亚公众对远程药学的看法和意识。这是一项 2022 年 11 月至 2023 年 5 月进行的横断面研究，涉及 387 名年龄在 18 岁及以上的马来西亚公民。数据收集利用通过社交媒体分发的 Google 表格进行，涵盖远程药学相关的人口统计学、技术准备情况、意识、看法和意愿。研究表明，受访者的数字准备程度较高，拥有智能手机并熟练使用各种数字功能。然而，他们对远程药学的概念缺乏认识。尽管对其潜在用途的看法普遍较为积极，但只有 48.1%的受访者表示愿意使用远程药学服务。虽然受访者对其表现出积极的看法，但对接受远程药学的意愿程度适中。通过有针对性的教育计划来解决知识差距，可能会提高接受度。未来的研究应着眼于根据公众偏好将远程药学纳入医疗保健系统，从而评估其在不同人群中的实际实施和结果。
