Telepharmacy is the delivery of pharmaceutical care via telecommunications to patients in locations where they may not have direct contact with a pharmacist. It is an instance of the wider phenomenon of telemedicine, as implemented in the field of pharmacy.
A widely cited definition comes from the "Model State Pharmacy Act and Model Rules of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy" (Model Act). The Model Act defines the practice of telepharmacy as follows: “The practice of pharmacy by registered pharmacies and pharmacists located within U.S. jurisdictions through the use of telepharmacy technologies between a licensee and patients or their agents at distances that are located within U.S. jurisdictions.
In its statement on telepharmacy, the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) references the Model Act's definition but then goes on to provide its own definition for the purposes of the statement document: "… ASHP defines telepharmacy as a method used in pharmacy practice in which a pharmacist utilizes telecommunications technology to oversee aspects of pharmacy operations or provide patient care services.
An article in the American Journal of Medical Research defines telepharmacy as "… the delivery of pharmaceutical care to outpatients at a distance through the use of telecommunication and other advanced technologies
North Dakota State University states the following: "Through the use of state-of-the-art telecommunications technology, pharmacists are able to provide pharmaceutical care to patients at a distance. Telepharmacy expands access to quality healthcare to communities nationwide, primarily in rural, medically underserved areas.
Finally, an article in Pharmacy Times that defines telepharmacy includes an important caveat about broad definitions of telepharmacy when it states the following: "Practically speaking, telepharmacy can be defined as the provision of pharmacy services through telecommunication. However, state laws usually define telepharmacy more narrowly, based on pharmacy practice in the states
In Bangladesh most of the Pharmacy retail shop doesn’t have minimum level of Pharmacist, who ensure the rational use of medicine. So that, Telepharmacy is a potential solution to this problem.
