Abstract

Background: Telepharmacy, the delivery of pharmaceutical services via telecommunications, has emerged as a critical tool to improve healthcare access, particularly in underserved regions. While widely adopted globally, its implementation in Pakistan remains limited and underexplored.
Aim: This study aimed to assess the knowledge, accessibility, perceptions, challenges and satisfaction related to telepharmacy services among healthcare professionals and patients in Pakistan.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey using a structured questionnaire was conducted in Lahore, Pakistan, with 407 participants, including healthcare professionals and patients. Descriptive statistics and inferential tests were applied using SPSS.
Results: In this study, participants described high knowledge and the positive perception regarding telepharmacy. Most of the healthcare professionals and patients considered that telepharmacy is playing important role in increasing patient satisfaction, accessibility of medications and compliance of patients. Technical barriers and insufficient digital competence are the key challenges and the difference in knowledge and perception related to demographics is not significant.
Conclusion: Telepharmacy shows strong potential to enhance healthcare delivery in Pakistan. To ensure its sustainable integration, targeted efforts are needed to improve digital literacy, address technical challenges and establish clear regulatory frameworks.

Keywords:Telepharmacy; Digital health; Healthcare access; Medication adherence; Patient satisfaction