Telehealth – treat or threat?
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the accelerated uptake of digitalization as countries implement stricter measures to control the spread of the virus. Our healthcare sector was no exception – patients were advised to stay home and visit healthcare facilities, including pharmacies, only if necessary. Amidst this, patients were introduced to telehealth suitably and when available, to ensure continued healthcare provision.
In this article, we learn from Ms Chung Wing Lam (Class of ’09) and Ms Aster Yap, both pharmacists from Watson’s Personal Care Stores Pte Ltd (Singapore), about some creative and innovative telehealth solutions that community pharmacists have worked tirelessly to initiate, to provide the highest standard of healthcare for their patients amidst the current pandemic. Before we dive in, you may ask – what is telehealth?
The figure below illustrates some examples shared by Wing Lam and Aster on the telehealth initiatives undertaken by Watson’s.
We proceeded to ask them some questions to learn more from their experience and thoughts about telehealth.
Q: How is the receptivity of customers or patients towards these telehealth initiatives, pre- and during COVID-19?
Aster: Before COVID-19 occurred, our patients had a relatively low awareness of telehealth initiatives because medical clinics in Singapore are easily accessible and allow face-to-face consultation with healthcare professionals. Customers would only choose to use telehealth initiatives due to specific circumstances such as if the clinic is closed for the day, or if they required the convenience of medication delivery service due to a busy schedule.
Wing Lam: The usage of telehealth greatly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic as customers began to value the convenience and ‘contactless’ approach of buying goods and services. Some insurance plans also started including telehealth services, contributing to improved uptake and awareness of this option. A customer shared with me that he used telehealth services during his stay-home-notice (SHN) period and found it convenient. Other customers mentioned that due to work-from-home (WFH) arrangements becoming more common, telehealth and medication delivery service have become the norm for them.
Aster: In the community pharmacies, there was a surge in dispensing electronic prescriptions during the 2020 circuit breaker. Patients felt more comfortable staying at home consulting doctors virtually and obtaining their medications from their neighbourhood pharmacies or via delivery.
Border closures also played a huge role in the adoption of telehealth initiatives for international patients and Singaporeans abroad. With telehealth and international medication delivery services, we are able to provide alternative options to supply medications to them and ensure that the medication packages meet the respective border requirements.
Q: Do you feel that there are specific groups of customers or patients who may benefit more from telehealth initiatives?
Aster: Yes, patients with mild symptoms or non-urgent medical conditions who would like to seek treatment or purchase medications at the convenience of their home may benefit from telehealth initiatives. Telehealth may also be appreciated by busy working adults as virtual consultations allow them to save time from visiting the clinic.
Wing Lam: Some of my customers shared that they use telehealth services for their elderly family members due to their concerns about travelling and queueing at the clinic with other patients. There was another group of people who were based overseas and unable to return to those countries due to border restrictions. They did not have a regular doctor in Singapore and needed to get a refill for their medicines. Hence, they used telehealth services due to convenience or familiarity with these services in their home countries.
Q: There are some opinions that technology may threaten the roles and job opportunities of pharmacists. What are your views about this?
Aster: In my opinion, technology represents advancement that may be important and necessary to us as pharmacists. Technologies such as automated packing of medications can help reduce medication errors and free up time for pharmacists to focus on patients’ pharmacotherapeutic management. A major role of pharmacists is to provide direct patient care and ensure the optimal use of medications. This involves professional clinical judgement which is acquired through years of experience.
Wing Lam: I would have never imagined hosting a pharmacist Facebook Live session before the pandemic – it was a new experience for me! Who knows, we may see more pharmacist presence on various social media platform – TikTok pharmacist, anyone? 😛 (Note: refer to Singapore Pharmacy Council (SPC)’s Code of Ethics for guidance on digital/electronic communication). Perhaps new job opportunities may include pharmacist content creator, digital media specialist, or telehealth regulatory specialist. However, like Aster said, some parts of our role are not so easily replaced by technology. Aside from dispensing medication and health information, we also provide the human touch, reassurance and a familiar face to our patients and customers. In some situations, a face-to-face consult is still preferred by patients. In community pharmacy, my colleagues have many regular customers who drop by to get advice or to seek help with health-related queries, due to the trust they have in the pharmacist.
Q: Do you have any tips for fellow pharmacists or pharmacists-to-be on how to adopt or use these telehealth initiatives effectively?
Also, do refer to this link for more learning points!
The COVID-19 pandemic has created a powerful ripple effect on Singapore’s healthcare system. However, we have now seen how telehealth can literally “bridge the gap” created by social distancing, enabling people to continue to access healthcare services, while ensuring the safety of fellow Singaporeans. Certainly, telehealth has now become and will continue to be an integral part of our service. As the SPC Pharmacist’s Pledge states: “Pharmacists solemnly pledge to: Honour traditions and embrace advancements in my profession”, we hope that all pharmacists alike would embrace these changes and see how telehealth is actually a “treat” that can facilitate the delivery of effective healthcare services for our patients.
Authors: Kuu Wei Xiang Nicholas and Ashley Lim Min Xuan (Class of ’23)
Both stepping into their third year of Pharmacy, Nicholas and Ashley helmed the roles of Programme Executive for Beyond! Health Hack 2021 and Project Director for RxAG’20 respectively. You can find more about Nicholas and Ashley on their LinkedIn!
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