Patient Preferences With Pharmaceutical Care: In-person Versus Digital Health

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Digital pharmaceutical care, also known as e-pharmaceutical care or telepharmacy, refers to using digital technologies to provide remote pharmaceutical care services. It involves the application of digital tools and platforms to deliver medication-related services, patient counseling, medication management, and other pharmaceutical care activities. It allows patients to access pharmaceutical services conveniently from their homes or any location with an internet connection. This is particularly beneficial for individuals with limited mobility, those living in rural or underserved areas, or patients with difficulty visiting a physical pharmacy. However, it is essential to note that while digital pharmaceutical care provides many benefits, it may only suit some patients or situations. Some individuals may still prefer face-to-face interactions or may require hands-on assistance, especially for complex medication management. Healthcare providers should assess the appropriateness of digital solutions on a case-by-case basis and ensure patient privacy and data security when implementing digital pharmaceutical care services.

Official Title
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A Cross-sectional Study Addressing Lebanese Patient Preferences With Pharmaceutical Care: Traditional Versus Digital Health?

Conditions
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Patient Preference

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Survey


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Patients who took at least one medication in the past month Patient visiting two community pharmacies Exclusion Criteria: Those refusing to participate Those with severe hearing or mental problems

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 75 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Patient<br>Convenient sampling of patients who took at least one medication in the past month | Behavioral: Survey<br>* Developed questionnaire to assess the literacy of patients + another survey to assess their preferences regarding traditional versus digital pharmaceutical care<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Patient preference | A self-reported questionnaire was developed and piloted on the first 30 patients visiting the pharmacies. Minor modifications were performed taking into consideration two expert reviews. It is available in Arabic (native language) and English based on participants' preferences. It includes 3 parts: the first part comprises the baseline characteristics of the patients and their medical history/habits; the second part reports patients' preferences, benefits and disadvantages of each of the outcomes (in-person versus digital health); and the third part assess e-literacy among them using the e-HEALS 8-item scale previously validated on the Arab population. | through study completion, an average of 2 months | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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pharmaceutical care, preference, digital care