Is telepharmacy an answer to Swine Flu reducing available pharmacy staff?

According to Kate Traynor writing for ASHP, the Fairview Health Services network of hospitals in Minnesota is considering allowing their pharmacists to work from home in the event they or a family member contracts the flu:

Allowing pharmacists to work off-site is another option under discussion. Knoer said the seven-hospital Fairview Health Services network that includes his medical center has some experience with remote order verification. Specifically, he said, one hospital pharmacy that operates around the clock has verified orders for a smaller hospital with limited pharmacy hours.

"The doctor would write an order, the pharmacists would verify it, and the nurse would get it out of the automated dispensing unit," Knoer said.

In theory, he said, pharmacy staff with remote computer access to the hospital could verify orders from home if schools close and workers need to stay with or near their children.

"We have talked about, in the case where we would have issues with the employees not being able to come to work, we could have employees work from home or another [Fairview] site," Knoer said.

But he cautioned that many issues remain to be discussed before remote order entry can work on a large scale at Fairview.

Yet another problem Telepharmacy can help solve!