Impact of telemedicine on patient medication adherence: A quasi-experimental single-arm pre-post study in a tertiary care hospital

Background Telemedicine, also known as telehealth, involves the remote delivery of healthcare through electronic communication technologies such as video conferencing, audio calls and secure messaging. Telehealth improves medication management and continuity of care. This study evaluated the impact of telemedicine on patient medication adherence by integrating pharmacists into the telemedicine framework. Method A quasi-experimental single arm pre-post study was conducted over six months in the IT (Information Technology) department of KIMS Al Shifa Hospital, encompassing seven medical specialties. Patients meeting inclusion criteria and using telemedicine services were selected through purposive sampling. Verbal informed consent was obtained telephonically, and demographic and clinical data were securely recorded. Interventions included individualized telephonic counselling, assessment of adherence using the Medication Adherence Rating Scale (MARS), and pharmacist-led prescription reviews to identify medication errors and drug interactions. Result The study included 110 participants - 51 males (46.4%) and 59 females (53.6%),with most aged 21-40years (mean = 44.03, SD=20.35). High adherence was observed in 80.9% of patients. Counselling significantly improved adherence scores from 6.91 (SD = 1.65) to 8.45 (SD = 1.55) with greatest effect in the gastroenterology (38.2%, p=0.032). Additionally, 64% highly adherent participants reported a positive impact (p = 0.023) and drug interactions were more frequent in the gastroenterology (38.2%, p=0.04). Conclusion Pharmacist interventions during telemedicine consultations demonstrated an increase in patient safety and adherence, emphasizing the importance of pharmacist integration with telehealth to strengthen patient education and medication safety.