Undertaking medication review by telehealth.

Shafiee Hanjani, Leila; Bell, J Simon; Freeman, Christopher

BACKGROUND Medication review can be delivered using telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure ongoing provision of care to vulnerable patient populations and to minimise risk of infection for both patients and health professionals. OBJECTIVE The aim of this article is to discuss the evidence related to telehealth medication reviews and provide practical considerations for conducting successful medication reviews by telehealth. DISCUSSION Leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth technologies had been increasingly used to deliver medication review services, mainly to patients in rural and remote areas, and were accepted by patients. Available evidence suggests telehealth medication reviews may positively affect clinical and cost outcomes, but there are ongoing challenges. When delivering these services, appropriate preparation - using support people, maintaining patients' privacy, selecting the most suitable technology on the basis of individual circumstances and ensuring good communication between healthcare professionals involved in medication review cycle of care - can help produce best results for patients.