DEVELOPMENT OF A TELEPHARMACY SERVICE SYSTEM FOR PHARMACEUTICAL CARE IN HYPERTENSIVE AND DIABETIC PATIENTS RECEIVING HOME WARD CARE AT KLONGLUANG HOSPITAL, PATHUM THANI
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.69598/tbps.21.1.87-110Keywords:
preventable adverse drug events, telepharmacy service system for pharmaceutical care, home ward, non-communicable diseasesAbstract
This mixed-methods study aimed to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of a telepharmacy service system for patients with diabetes or hypertension receiving home ward care. The system comprised four key components: (1) service structure, (2) multidisciplinary team workflow with clearly defined roles for each team member, (3) communication channels between the team and patients via a Line Official Account and the “Mor Prom” application, and (4) telepharmacy care activities, including medication reconciliation, adherence monitoring, drug-related problem management, and individual medication counseling, are continuously provided from admission to one month after discharge. The study was conducted in three phases: Phase 1 involved a situational analysis and system design through focus group discussions with 15 medical staff. Phase 2 implemented the system among patients with diabetes or hypertension receiving home ward care between March and May 2025, covering two patient cycles (a total of 87 patients). Clinical outcomes and user feedback were collected during this phase. Phase 3 focused on evaluation and lessons learned through interviews with the same 15 medical staff and 7 pharmacists. The project was conducted from October 2024 to August 2025. The results showed statistically significant improvements in clinical and behavioral outcomes. The blood pressure decreased (p < 0.05) from 153/84 mmHg to 136/80 mmHg, and the blood glucose level declined (p < 0.05) from 311.19 mg/dl to 165.38 mg/dl. Medication adherence, measured by pill count, increased (p < 0.05) from 77.22% to 89.94%, and the MTB-Thai questionnaire score improved (p < 0.05) from 20 to 23 (out of 24). The number of patients with drug-related problems decreased (p < 0.05) from 48 to 21. The satisfaction score was 4.74 (out of 5). In conclusion, the telepharmacy service system for pharmaceutical care effectively enhanced clinical outcomes, medication adherence, and patient satisfaction, while reducing drug-related problems.
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