Drug abuse is sadly a substantial problem in the United States. Interestingly enough, drugs that are commonly associated with drug abuse such as cocaine, heroin, and cannabis are not causing the largest issues. It is actually over-the-counter medications that are being abused most frequently in the United States.
Not only are prescription medications the most frequently abused drugs, but it is often young adults and teenagers that are abusing them. This is why medication management and education are incredibly important. It can be hard for individuals to ask for help when they have a drug problem. Telehealth is a solution to this issue because it allows for individuals to call from their own home. Telehealth helps with medication management.
Let’s dive a little deeper into medication management. Medication management is a system in which individuals who are required to take medication for a condition are trained to understand their condition better and how their medication works. The purpose of medication management is to ensure that patients get their desired outcomes and often requires check ups and changing out medication if it is not working properly.
Medication management decreases the likelihood of over-the-counter drug abuse and drug-induced overdoses, hospitalizations, and deaths. Medication management also allows for the patient to feel more in control of their situation because they have a voice and are having an ongoing conversation with their doctor.
The branch of telehealth that medication management falls under is telepharmacy. Telepharmacy is simply the distribution of pharmaceuticals via telecommunication technology to patients that may not have access to a local pharmacist or need extra care. Telepharmacy allows pharmacists to do check ups and see how prescribed medication is working at a time that is convenient for both the patient and the doctor.
There are many ways that telepharmacy and telehealth help with medication management. This is because it allows physicians and pharmacists to check in with their individual patients throughout their medication expeditions. There are many different medication management methods that can be conducted using telehealth.
A medication management technique that can be conducted through telehealth is patient counseling. Patient counseling includes talking with patients about their conditions and making sure that they are not experiencing abnormal mental health changes due to the medication. Virtual patient counseling is also a great resource for those struggling with drug abuse.
Another telehealth service includes drug therapy monitoring. Drug monitoring includes creating a schedule for certain drugs and having the patient take certain dosages to maintain a certain concentration of medication in the blood. Telehealth helps the patient keep on track and helps keep the pharmacist in the know.
Telehealth also makes it much easier for remote dispensing. Remote dispensing is where an individual who does not have access to a pharmacist can get special recommendations and permissions from a pharmacist to use certain medications.
Lastly, telehealth helps with education. Telehealth makes information about certain medications much more accessible and gives patients a chance to better understand the drugs that they are taking.
Here at CareXM, we offer many different telecommunication services including services specifically for pharmacies. If you are interested in implementing virtual help desks for your company or are in need of more customer service help, we are here for you! Contact us today to find out more information regarding our medical telecommunication services.