Ali Sherazi Bushra, Sayyed Shahzad Ahmad, Möllenhoff Kathrin, Läer Stephanie
Institute of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacotherapy, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, 40225, Germany.
Institute of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical and Allied Health Sciences, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore, 54000, Pakistan.
Integr Pharm Res Pract. 2024 Sep 20;13:165-180. doi: 10.2147/IPRP.S468881. eCollection 2024.
The use of telepharmacy in delivering pharmaceutical care services has grown in the past few years; however, there are perceptions of its inappropriateness for providing medical device training among pharmacy students and practicing pharmacists.
The primary objective of this study was to determine if the telepharmacy approach for providing inhaler technique training service was non-inferior to the face-to-face approach regarding pharmacy students' performance in simulated patient encounters. Secondary objectives were to determine students' self-assessment of their ability to demonstrate and practice inhaler technique between the two modes of communication and their perceptions of telepharmacy.
A randomized crossover non-inferiority trial was conducted among undergraduate pharmacy students. Outcomes were measured by comparing Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) scores of participants' performance between two modes of communication while providing inhaler technique training service. Moreover, the participants also completed self-assessment and perception questionnaires.
The telepharmacy approach was non-inferior to the face-to-face approach for demonstrating and practicing the correct inhaler technique based on OSCE scores and a predefined non-inferiority margin of -10%. The results also revealed no significant differences in student self-confidence between the two modes of communication. Moreover, participants had a largely positive perception of telepharmacy and its use in providing inhaler technique training service.
Considering our findings, telepharmacy is a viable alternative to traditional face-to-face consultations for providing inhaler technique training service. However, to address perceived difficulties and differences between virtual and face-to-face consultations, the pharmacy curriculum should include more telepharmacy-related didactic content with experiential learning and simulations.
在过去几年中，远程药学在提供药学服务方面的应用有所增加；然而，人们认为它不适用于为药学专业学生和执业药师提供医疗器械培训。
本研究的主要目的是确定在模拟患者问诊中，就药学专业学生的表现而言，通过远程药学方式提供吸入器技术培训服务是否不劣于面对面方式。次要目的是确定学生在两种沟通方式下对自己展示和实践吸入器技术能力的自我评估，以及他们对远程药学的看法。
在本科药学专业学生中进行了一项随机交叉非劣效性试验。在提供吸入器技术培训服务时，通过比较两种沟通方式下参与者表现的客观结构化临床考试（OSCE）分数来衡量结果。此外，参与者还完成了自我评估和看法问卷。
基于OSCE分数和预先定义的-10%的非劣效性边际，远程药学方式在展示和实践正确的吸入器技术方面不劣于面对面方式。结果还显示，两种沟通方式下学生的自信心没有显著差异。此外，参与者对远程药学及其在提供吸入器技术培训服务中的应用总体上持积极看法。
考虑到我们的研究结果，远程药学是提供吸入器技术培训服务的传统面对面咨询的可行替代方案。然而，为了解决虚拟咨询和面对面咨询之间感知到的困难和差异，药学课程应包括更多与远程药学相关的教学内容，并结合体验式学习和模拟。
