Pharmacy Informatics and Telepharmacy Course

Lesson 1 • Core Data Types in Pharmacy

Identifies structured and unstructured data generated across the medication-use cycle. Students connect data types to downstream informatics applications.

Lesson 2 • History and Evolution of the Field

Traces pharmacy informatics from paper-based records to integrated digital systems. Provides context for understanding current tools and regulatory expectations.

Lesson 3 • Regulatory and Ethical Landscape

Introduces privacy regulations, data governance principles, and professional ethics governing pharmacy data use. Frames compliance as an ongoing informatics responsibility.

Lesson 1 • System Selection and Implementation

Guides students through needs assessment, vendor evaluation, and go-live planning for pharmacy systems. Builds practical decision-making skills for real-world deployments.

Lesson 2 • Interoperability Standards and Protocols

Introduces HL7, FHIR, and messaging standards that enable data exchange between pharmacy and clinical systems. Students understand why standardization reduces medication errors.

Lesson 3 • Electronic Health Record Architecture

Explains EHR structure, modules relevant to pharmacy, and how medication data is stored and retrieved. Connects system design to clinical workflow efficiency.

Lesson 4 • System Security and Access Control

Addresses authentication, role-based access, and cybersecurity threats specific to pharmacy information systems. Students apply security principles to protect medication data.

Lesson 1 • Governance of CDS Content

Establishes processes for reviewing, approving, and retiring CDS rules within a pharmacy and therapeutics committee structure. Ensures CDS remains current and evidence-based.

Lesson 2 • Principles of Clinical Decision Support

Defines CDS types, the five rights of CDS, and evidence-based alert design. Establishes the framework used throughout this chapter.

Lesson 3 • Alert Fatigue and Optimization

Analyzes causes of alert fatigue and strategies to improve alert specificity without compromising safety. Students apply data-driven methods to refine CDS performance.

Lesson 4 • Dosing and Renal Adjustment Alerts

Covers weight-based, renal, and hepatic dosing rules embedded in CDS systems. Students validate alert logic against current clinical guidelines.

Lesson 1 • Barcode and Automated Dispensing Technology

Examines barcode medication administration and automated dispensing cabinet systems as error-prevention tools. Students evaluate implementation requirements and failure modes.

Lesson 2 • Safety Culture and Data Transparency

Connects psychological safety, transparent error reporting, and leadership support to informatics-enabled safety programs. Students assess organizational readiness for safety data sharing.

Lesson 3 • High-Alert Medication Safeguards

Focuses on informatics controls for high-alert medications including smart pump libraries and hard stops. Students build a safeguard protocol for a selected high-alert drug class.

Lesson 4 • Medication Error Classification and Reporting

Defines error types, near-miss events, and standardized reporting taxonomies used in pharmacy. Students use classification to prioritize safety improvement efforts.

Lesson 1 • Regulatory Framework for Telepharmacy

Surveys licensure, practice standards, and cross-jurisdictional requirements governing telepharmacy services. Students identify compliance gaps for a hypothetical telepharmacy program.

Lesson 2 • Defining Telepharmacy and Its Scope

Establishes what telepharmacy is, what services it encompasses, and how it differs from traditional pharmacy practice. Provides the conceptual foundation for all telepharmacy chapters.

Lesson 3 • Telepharmacy Workflow Design

Maps end-to-end telepharmacy workflows from prescription receipt to patient counseling and follow-up. Students design a workflow diagram for a selected telepharmacy model.

Lesson 4 • Technology Infrastructure for Telepharmacy

Covers video conferencing platforms, remote verification software, and network requirements for telepharmacy operations. Students assess infrastructure readiness for a proposed site.

Lesson 1 • Automated Dispensing in Remote Sites

Examines robotic dispensing units, pill counters, and automated packaging systems used at telepharmacy remote sites. Students evaluate equipment selection for low-volume rural settings.

Lesson 2 • Quality Assurance in Remote Dispensing

Establishes QA metrics, audit processes, and error tracking specific to remote dispensing environments. Students design a QA dashboard for a telepharmacy site.

Lesson 3 • Remote Order Verification Process

Details the pharmacist's remote review of prescription images, clinical data, and dispensing records. Students practice verification decisions using simulated case sets.

Lesson 4 • Controlled Substance Management Remotely

Addresses inventory control, electronic logging, and diversion prevention for controlled substances in telepharmacy settings. Students apply regulatory requirements to a remote site scenario.

Lesson 1 • Chronic Disease Management via Telepharmacy

Applies telepharmacy counseling to diabetes, hypertension, and anticoagulation management programs. Students develop a monitoring protocol for a selected chronic condition.

Lesson 2 • Medication Counseling via Video

Structures a complete medication counseling session delivered through video, covering indication, dosing, side effects, and storage. Students practice using standardized patient scenarios.

Lesson 3 • Documenting Telepharmacy Encounters

Covers SOAP note structure, billing documentation, and encounter coding for telepharmacy services. Students complete documentation for simulated patient encounters.

Lesson 4 • Adherence Monitoring and Support

Uses digital tools including apps, refill data, and patient portals to monitor and improve medication adherence remotely. Students design an adherence intervention for a chronic disease population.

Lesson 1 • Pharmacy Data Analytics Fundamentals

Introduces descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive analytics applied to pharmacy operations and clinical outcomes. Students interpret pharmacy dashboards and identify actionable insights.

Lesson 2 • Presenting Data to Decision Makers

Develops skills for translating complex pharmacy data into executive summaries and visual presentations for non-technical audiences. Students deliver a data briefing in a simulated board setting.

Lesson 3 • Outcome Measurement for Telepharmacy

Defines clinical, operational, and patient experience outcomes used to evaluate telepharmacy program effectiveness. Students select and justify outcome measures for a program evaluation.

Lesson 4 • Strategic Planning for Informatics Programs

Guides students through environmental scanning, goal setting, and roadmap development for pharmacy informatics initiatives. Students draft a one-page strategic plan for a proposed program.