Growth of Tele-Pharmacy: Expanding Access to Patient Care

By: Alba Dona, PharmD Candidate c/o 2027

Over the past few years, technology has transformed almost every aspect of medicine. Tools such as electronic health records, artificial intelligence, e-prescribing, and telehealth platforms have changed the way patients interact with providers and access treatment. Patients can communicate with providers over the phone or by video call, increasing accessibility and convenience, a trend referred to as telemedicine. Within this shift, pharmacy has also embraced the use of telecommunication technology, giving rise to telepharmacy. According to the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), telepharmacy is “a method used in pharmacy practice in which a pharmacist utilizes telecommunication technology to oversee aspects of pharmacy operations or provide patient care services.”¹ This includes pharmacists verifying prescriptions and dispensing medicine remotely, counseling patients over video calls, order-entry review, and more. Telepharmacy is being adopted at a growing rate as patients and providers become more adept with digital health.  

During the COVID-19 pandemic, telepharmacy expanded globally to provide pharmaceutical services remotely, which minimized potential exposure to the virus for patients and pharmacists. Community pharmacists became highly accessible healthcare practitioners and helped test patients for COVID-19, counsel patients with chronic and minor illnesses, and dispense medications. ⁴ Even after the pandemic, many argue that allowing remote pharmacists to work will help underserved and rural communities gain access to pharmacy services. In some rural communities with fewer hospitals and pharmacies, patients may have to drive to their nearest pharmacy or use mail order or online pharmacies. This may be an issue for patients with limited physical mobility or with a lack of access to or understanding of technology needed for online services. ³  

A real-world example is the Ohio Senate Bill 95, which took effect in April 2025. This bill expanded pharmacy access across the state, especially in rural areas that faced pharmacy shortages. The State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy now allows remote-dispensing pharmacies to operate without a pharmacist on site. Instead, a licensed pharmacist will be connected to the pharmacy through a telecommunications system. Under this law, a single remote pharmacist can oversee several telepharmacy locations. ² According to Global Market Insights Inc. the telepharmacy market is projected to be worth $23.6 billion USD by 2032, driven by increasing investment in healthcare information technology and the demand for convenient and accessible healthcare.

The integration of telepharmacy into healthcare is changing how care is delivered to patients. What started as an alternative to in-person care has grown into a convenient way to access pharmacists at any time. As healthcare systems continue to embrace telepharmacy and patients grow more comfortable with virtual care, telepharmacy is poised to become a major component of pharmacy practice in the years to come.

REFERENCES

1. ASHP Issue Brief: COVID-19 Executive Orders. Ashp.org. Published 2016. Accessed August 25, 2025. https://www.ashp.org/advocacy-and-issues/key-issues/other-issues/additional-advocacy-efforts/ashp-submits-comments-on-telepharmacy-regulation-and-dea-epcs-regulation?utm_source=chatgpt.com&loginreturnUrl=SSOCheckOnly
2. Taylor A. New law aims to alleviate pharmacist shortages across Ohio | Legally Speaking. wtol.com. Published April 4, 2025. Accessed August 26, 2025. https://www.wtol.com/article/news/politics/state-politics/ohio-law-will-increase-the-accessibility-of-pharmacies-across-the-state-legally-speaking/512-28f9a130-963c-47c3-853c-903b0d86ec56
3. Poudel A, Nissen L. Telepharmacy: a pharmacist’s perspective on the clinical benefits and challenges. Integrated Pharmacy Research and Practice. 2016;Volume 5(5):75-82. doi:https://doi.org/10.2147/iprp.s101685
4. Jirjees F, Odeh M, Aloum L, Kharaba Z, Alzoubi KH, Al-OBAIDI HJ. The rise of telepharmacy services during the COVID-19 pandemic: A comprehensive assessment of services in the United Arab Emirates. Pharmacy Practice. 2022;20(2):02-11. doi:https://doi.org/10.18549/pharmpract.2022.2.2634
5. Market G. Telepharmacy Market to hit USD 23.6 billion by 2032, says Global Market Insights Inc. Yahoo Finance. Published December 16, 2024. Accessed August 26, 2025. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/telepharmacy-market-hit-usd-23-123000508.html