Frequently Asked Questions

Here are the answers to the questions most frequently asked about telepharmacy and Telepharmacy Solutions point of outpatient care dispensing system.

What is Telepharmacy?
Telepharmacy is defined as the integration of pharmacy software, remotely controlled dispensing cabinetry and telecommunications technologies to enable the provision of pharmaceutical services from a distance.

How and where is Telepharmacy used?
The use of Telepharmacy Solutions' technology enables pharmacists to telecommute to provide prescription dispensing and patient consultation services directly in previously underserved outpatient points of care, where prescription volume is too small to cost-justify an on-site brick and mortar pharmacy.

Is Telepharmacy easy to integrate and use for both pharmacy and pharmacist, and what is the primary benefit?
Yes. Absolutely! Telepharmacy is centrally controlled by a pharmacist, maximizes the use of critically limited pharmacist resources and assures the pharmacists’ position as an integral part of the outpatient care team. One of the primary benefits is that Telepharmacy enables pharmacists to expand their practices and reduce cost/generate new revenue by providing better care to more patients in multiple outpatient points-of-care.

Is Telepharmacy Solutions' dispensing technology patient activated?
No. Our outpatient point-of-care dispensing system is activated/controlled, and all medications are handled by authorized point-of-care team members, who are under full control of the central pharmacist. Prescriptions are subsequently and conveniently given to patients right at the point-of-care, thus sparing them from having to drive to another location to get their prescription(s) filled.

Where can Telepharmacy be utilized?
Telepharmacy is cost and care effective in virtually all outpatient points of care including: local and rural clinics; nursing homes; assisted living centers; VA community-based outpatient clinics; Department of Defense clinics; 340 B/public health/federally qualified clinics; correctional facilities; emergency rooms/urgent care centers; and in virtually any outpatient care setting where dispensing of the first cycle of prescriptions is physically or economically challenging.

Do I have to purchase the system?
Telepharmacy Solutions offers a number of methods by which to acquire the technology, including: outright purchase, capital leases and operating leases. Please contact us for more specific information about system purchase/financing options. In addition,Telepharmacy Solutions equipment is available via several contracts, including the Federal Supply Schedule for eligible public-sector buyers, and as a preferred technology provider with Premier.

What types of medications can be dispensed by the system?
The system is primarily used to dispense the first cycle/initial doses of prescriptions for emergent-need medications such as analgesics, antibiotics and other medications where patient compliance and speed of dosing is most impactful. Technically speaking, the system can be used to dispense any medication, including prescription refills, and can be interfaced to a mail order component to provide a completely closed-loop, prescription handling system.

Can the system be used to dispense controlled substances?
Depending on individual site approval, the cabinets are narcotics secure and DEA compliant for the storage and dispensing of controlled substances, in certain settings.

Can the Telepharmacy Solutions' system connect to my existing/resident pharmacy software systems?
Yes. While the Telepharmacy system can function as a stand-alone system in certain situations, in the vast majority of sites, it receives information from an existing pharmacy software system located in the pharmacy.

Is the system HIPAA compliant?
Yes. The system is essentially an extension of the existing pharmacy, or pharmacy software system. And our software is designed with patient confidentiality and safety in mind.

Is the use of Telepharmacy approved in my state?
Telepharmacy Solutions works closely with our proactive pharmacy customers to assure approval of the use of telepharmacy within their respective states. Our ADDS technology fully complies with the sample “Pharmacy Automation Policy and Procedure Outline,” as written in 1997 by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NAPB) Task Force on Automation. Telepharmacy Solutions works closely with the NABP and the individual state boards of pharmacy to assure their complete understanding and approval of the practice of Telepharmacy. Please contact us to learn more about sing Telepharmacy Solutions in your respective location.

How does ADDS technology ensure dispensing accuracy/safety?
Accuracy and safely are assured through the prescription review process by which medications are triple verified by the system. Each column in the ADDS cabinet is designated to a specific bar code. All medications have a bar coded label that matches the designated column number. Medications are first scanned when loaded into the dispensing cabinet, and subsequently scanned a second and third time when dispensed from the cabinet and when the patient specific label is printed, all to ensure accurate matching of identification codes. The loading and dispensing processes are fully under pharmacist control.The patient and medication specific label will not be printed until the proper medication is dispensed and is verified by scanning.

Who loads the Telepharmacy Solutions point-of-care dispensing cabinets?
While this process is determined by the individual State Boards of Pharmacy, the pharmacist can load the ADDS cabinet, or simply supervise the process, with loading facilitated by an authorized point-of-care team member/technician.

How and when is the drug/patient-specific label generated?
Once approved by the controlling central pharmacist, the care team provider at the point-of-care retrieves and scans the bar code on the label of the repackaged medication dispensed from the ADDS cabinet to verify the correct drug has been delivered. Only after the bar code is verified, will the printer generate the drug/patient specific label for that transaction. All appropriate auxillary/caution labels, along with a patient education monograph are also generated after product confirmation.

What about medication recall?
Telepharmacy Solutions software maintains complete and accurate records of all medication and transaction information for easy audit tracking. Once alerted of a drug recall, the pharmacist can perform a record sort to identify any/all patients to whom the recalled drug was dispensed. The pharmacist can then take appropriate action predicated by the seriousness of the recall.