Telepharmacy: A Modern Approach to Pharmacy Care

March 11, 2026

Summary

Telepharmacy is the use of technology to provide pharmaceutical care remotely, expanding access to pharmacy services, especially in rural or underserved areas where traditional pharmacies may not exist.
Benefits of telepharmacy include real-time medication advice, easier monitoring of drug compliance, extended service hours, increased patient education options, and improved accessibility for non-English speakers.
Challenges include limited public awareness, the digital divide affecting internet access in rural areas, varying state regulations, and restrictions on dispensing controlled substances remotely.

What is telepharmacy?

While most of us have heard the terms “telemedicine” or “telehealth” and are familiar with the meaning, the term “telepharmacy” is probably not as widely known. Telepharmacy is the delivery of pharmaceutical care through technology. Pharmacists and patients can interact through smartphones, for example, using an app to see and speak with each other. Telepharmacy began as a solution for rural and underserved areas where a pharmacy was not readily accessible—these areas are often referred to as pharmacy deserts. Now telepharmacy is becoming more mainstream. Approximately 28 states currently allow telepharmacy while about 22 restrict it or do not allow it at all.

Telepharmacy allows pharmacists to offer their services remotely. This can include medication counseling, prescription verification, chronic disease management, and oversight of pharmacy technicians at distant locations. For patients, this translates to fewer barriers to care—they don’t have to drive long distances to reach a pharmacy, they don’t have to wait in line, and they have easier access to pharmacists. This can be especially important for older people or those managing difficult medical conditions.

Telepharmacy advantages

Ability to answer questions about medicines in real time.
Ability to monitor drug compliance.
Expansion of service hours.
More options for patient education.
More options for people who do not speak English as a native language.

Telepharmacy disadvantages

People may not even know that it is available.
Some Americans—particularly those living in rural areas—don’t have reliable access to internet, an issue known as the digital divide.
Some people might not have the necessary health literacy to manage telepharmacy.
Regulations related to telepharmacy—including authorization, facility, and staffing restrictions—vary from state to state, so there is no single federal standard.

Telepharmacy in action

In North Dakota, the North Dakota Pharmacy Project serves rural and frontier communities. About 80,000 people living in rural areas have been served.
In Nebraska, there is a service that connects rural hospitals and remote pharmacists.
In North Carolina, rural clinics expanded their scope during the COVID-19 pandemic, screening patients for social determinant of health issues.

Final thoughts

Telepharmacy offers opportunities for people living in pharmacy deserts or other areas where there is little or no access to a pharmacy. As policy and regulation evolves—and as technology continues to improve—telepharmacy may become more prevalent and could offer an excellent option for those pharmacy care.