Healthcare outcomes in patients with HIV infection at a tertiary hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic

A collaborative telepharmacy model for dispensing and informed delivery from hospital to community pharmacies

BACKGROUND

This study examines the implementation of a collaborative telepharmacy programme in an outpatient pharmaceutical care unit (OPCU) at a tertiary hospital. The programme coordinates between the hospital pharmacy, community pharmacies, a pharmaceutical distributor, and the regional official college of pharmacists to optimise medication dispensing and delivery to outpatients.

METHODS

The programme addressed challenges in operations, logistics, technology, legality, training and information. A protocol was developed defining the collaborative dispensing circuit, including criteria for patient selection and prioritisation.

RESULTS

Over 39 months, 13 310 shipments were made to 1039 patients, averaging 17 daily. Each patient received about 13 deliveries. A total of 14 283 medications from 258 specialties were dispensed. The programme saved 512 534 km and 542 164 min (356 days) in travel. Each patient saved approximately 493 km and 522 min, reducing CO2 emissions by 58-116 kg per patient, or 72-145 tonnes overall. A survey of 130 patients revealed a 93% preference for this model over home or healthcare facility delivery.

DISCUSSION

The implementation of telepharmacy programmes for dispensing hospital medication to community pharmacies marks a significant advancement in patient care. Initially rare, telepharmacy is now widespread, overcoming previous barriers. Programmes show similar effectiveness to home delivery, improving workflow and safety. Future improvements may include remote monitoring tools and video calls. Despite some limitations, such as economic analysis and tracking, telepharmacy has proven beneficial for patients, offering cost savings and enhanced confidentiality.

CONCLUSION

The collaborative telepharmacy circuit was efficiently and safely implemented, offering an innovative approach that meets the needs and expectations of patients in the OPCU.

Cost analysis associated with intramuscular versus oral administration of antiretroviral therapy in the management of human immunodeficiency virus infection

OBJETIVE

To identify and analyze the resources and costs associated with the administration of intramuscular antiretroviral therapy (ART) cabotegravir+rilpivirine (CAB+RPV) compared to oral ART in the management of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (HIV-1) infection in Spain.

METHODS

An economic model was developed to identify resources and analyze costs from the perspective of the National Health System (NHS) and societal, associated with the administration of intramuscular ART (CAB+RPV) compared to oral ART over a two-year time horizon. Costs included treatment change monitoring, pharmaceutical dispensation, administration, management of adverse events to injection-site reactions (AEs-ISR), travel to the hospital, telepharmacy service, and lost work productivity. Unit costs (€, 2023) were obtained from the literature. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to evaluate the robustness of the model.

RESULTS

Intramuscular ART compared to oral ART was associated with an increase in costs of €673.16/patient over two years from the perspective of the NHS, and €719.59/patient from the social perspective. Intramuscular ART would generate increased costs for dispensation (+€97.75), administration (+€394.55), monitoring (+€288.74), management of AEs-ISR (+€6.46), travel (+€8.36), and lost work productivity (+€38.07), compared to oral ART administration.

CONCLUSION

Treating HIV-1 with intramuscular CAB+RPV leads to increased resource consumption and costs, compared to oral ART.

A Retrospective Analysis of the Disruptions in the HIV Continuum of Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Lessons From a Clinic-Based Study

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly affected healthcare services, including HIV patient care. This study assessed the impact of the pandemic on diverse aspects of care for individuals living with HIV (PLWH).

METHODS

Patient data from 2019 to 2021 were collected using the Cascades template, provided by the New York State Department of Health, focusing on viral testing and suppression outcomes. Age, ethnicity, sex, and race were considered variables and analyzed via chi-square analysis, logistic regression model, and F test.

RESULTS

The pandemic significantly reduced viral testing in 2020 due to restrictions and closures, but telemedicine and tele-pharmacy helped maintain care. Age was a crucial factor, predicting higher viral testing and suppression odds for older individuals, but no significant differences were observed between patient gender, race, or ethnicity in obtaining viral testing or achieving suppression.

CONCLUSIONS

While limitations existed, this study provides insights into sustaining care during crises, highlighting the importance of innovative healthcare delivery methods and age-sensitive approaches for PLWH.

Telepharmacy Implementation to Support Pharmaceutical Care Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Scoping Review

Background

Telepharmacy was effectively applied for remote pharmaceutical care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objectives

To determine the implementation of telepharmacy services to support pharmacists in providing pharmaceutical care during the pandemic.

Data Sources

Seven electronic databases were searched from inception to June 2021: PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, Excerpta Medica database (Embase), Web of Science, Proquest, Scopus, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.

Study Selection and Data Extraction

The review followed PRISMA guidelines and was registered with the PROSPERO registry of systematic reviews. Reports of original research investigating the implementation of telepharmacy during the COVID-19 pandemic were retrieved. Researchers screened the title and abstract of each article, and then evaluated the full text of eligible articles to identify studies that met the inclusion criteria. Pharmacists' responsibilities and actions were classified in relation to the International Pharmaceutical Federation guideline for managing the COVID-19 pandemic. Extracted data included study characteristics, pharmacists' interventions delivered through a telepharmacy system, and the benefits of telepharmacy implementation.

Data Synthesis

The database search yielded 1400 articles. After removal of duplicates and articles not meeting the specific inclusion criteria (n = 1381), a total of 19 relevant original research articles were reviewed. According to these studies, telepharmacy was used to perform remote medication review and optimization, assess medication adherence, dispense and deliver medications, educate and counsel patients, promote disease prevention, collaborate with health care providers, and monitor treatment outcomes.

Conclusions

This study highlighted the use of telepharmacy services to support pharmacists' activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Randomized clinical trials are needed to investigate the long-term efficacy and cost-effectiveness of telepharmacy services.