The era of the COVID19 has created numerous challenges in clinical care – German researchers have recently examined tele-intensive care unit (tele-ICU) services in the provision of specialized medical care in remote areas, specifically examining implementation and evaluation of an additional telepharmaceutical expert consultation as part of tele-ICU services.
Between March and July 2015, all tele-ICU patients of one internal and two remote ICUs received telepharmaceutical consultation, with drug related problems (DRPs) identified in a comprehensive medication safety check. There was a focus was on drug–drug interactions (DDIs) and dosage adjustment in renal and liver failure. 210 DRPs in 103 patients were identified and discussed, and an average of 2.0 (range 0–17) DRPs were addressed per patient (at least one DRP was found in 62% of patients): antibiotics were the drug class most commonly implicated. The team discussed 28 cases of dosage adjustment in organ failure.The researchers identify the technology as a means to supplement care in remote hospitals not having access to clinical pharmacists – the original work can be viewed here.