Telepharmacy not yet available in your state?
Here are three simple steps you can take to help advocate for change!
There are currently 28 states that permit telepharmacy in an outpatient setting (view our telepharmacy regulations map here). That means 22 states could improve access to a pharmacist by implementing legislation or regulations that permit the use of telepharmacy.
The three organizations below each play a role in the rules and regulations governing the pharmacy industry. We have put together email templates that you can use to contact each organization to let them know the benefits that telepharmacy can have on healthcare in the state. Simply copy the template from the pop up window and paste it into the text editor of your choice to personalize the message. Our team is happy to help you complete your letters.
Read our blog post to learn more about each of the three organizations below.
Step 1
Contact your state pharmacy association
Get the template
State Pharmacy Association Education Letter Template
(Month) (Day) (Year)
(First name) (Last name), Executive Director
(State) Pharmacy Association
(Street Address)
(CITY), (STATE) (Zip Code)
RE: Telepharmacy
Dear (Last name):
My name is (your first and last name) and I am a licensed (pharmacist/technician) practicing in (state). Recently I learned that telepharmacy is a new and innovative approach to pharmacy that can safely combine improvements in technology with the dispensing process in order to improve pharmacist reach. With telepharmacy, the pharmacist and technician are doing all the same tasks as before; the scope of practice for either has not changed at all. Instead the pharmacist is just supervising the technician from a distance with the use of audio/visual technology. I am writing to ask for your assistance in allowing telepharmacy in our state.
Telepharmacy would be beneficial to our profession in (state) as it (Pick some facts from the fact list below. Choose up to three of the strongest points that support your position and state them clearly.) (Include a personal story. Tell your association why the issue is important to you and how it affects you, your business and the profession. Tell them about a time when you wanted to provide pharmaceutical care services in an additional area but it didn’t make financial sense, or a time when you wanted to connect with patients but were unable to do so).
I want your help to make telepharmacy legal in (state). Please let me know what the next steps would be to making this legal. (Be sure to include your name and address on both your letter and envelope.)
Sincerely,
SIGN YOUR NAME
Print your name
Street address
City, State, Zip code
Pharmacy Association Facts:
- Reduces the need for dispensing by other health care practitioners, keeps a pharmacist doing what they do best
- Can connect patients to specialty care services through placement at specialty clinics
- Saves and creates jobs
- Keeps prescriptions in the state instead of getting them through the mail
- Allows the pharmacist to do more clinical tasks in a work load balancing setting
- Utilizes the latest technology keeping pharmacy in line with other healthcare professionals
- Provides better access to a pharmacist so patients can get their medications and get better faster
- Improves patient outcomes since a pharmacist is now available through audio/visual technology to answer any questions
- Lowers healthcare costs due to increased medication adherence and decreased hospitalization
COVID-19 Specific Template
COVID-19 Specific
(Month) (Day) (Year)
(First name) (Last name), Executive Director
(State) Pharmacy Association
(Street Address)
(CITY), (STATE) (Zip Code)
RE: Telepharmacy
Dear (Last name):
My name is (your first and last name) and I am a licensed (pharmacist/technician) practicing in (state). Recently, with the concerns associated with COVID-19, pharmacies are implementing any solutions possible to help protect the health and safety of pharmacy staff members and patients. Telepharmacy is a solution that can be used to safely deliver pharmacy services, as it requires the same practices seen in a traditional pharmacy setting. With telepharmacy, there is a reduced risk of exposure to the virus and the possible interruptions in care caused by pharmacy closure and reduced staffing. I am writing to ask for your assistance in permitting telepharmacy in our state during this time.
Telepharmacy would be beneficial to our profession in (state) during this time of emergency as it allows pharmacies to stay open, provides continued access to vital services in communities and minimizes the spread of the disease. Additionally, touchless workflows as used in some telepharmacy models are an additional safeguard that can be used to further social distancing efforts without impacting the delivery of care or changing the scope of practice for any staff members. (Tell your association why the issue is important to you and how it has affected you, your business and the profession. Tell them about your staff’s desire to provide continued services but have a fear of doing so with the risk of exposure, or how you have tried other means to protect your staff and patients but attempts were not successful).
I want your help to make telepharmacy legal in (state) during this time of uncertainty. Please let me know what the next steps would be to make this legal. (Be sure to include your name and address on both your letter and envelope.)
Sincerely,
SIGN YOUR NAME
Print your name
Street address
City, State, Zip code
Step 2
Contact your state board of pharmacy
Get the template
State Board of Pharmacy Education Letter Template
(Month) (Day) (Year)
(First name) (Last name)(title), Executive Director
(State) Board of Pharmacy
(Street Address)
(CAPITOL), (STATE) (Zip Code)
RE: Telepharmacy
Dear (Title)(Last name):
My name is (your first and last name) and I am a resident of (state). Recently I learned that telepharmacy can safely provide access to prescription medications for medically unserved communities, such as my own, and I am asking for your support in allowing telepharmacy in our state.
(Pick some facts from the fact list below. Choose up to three of the strongest points that support your position and state them clearly.) (Include a personal story. Tell the board of pharmacy why the issue is important to you and how it affects you, your family member and your community. Tell them about a time it was challenging to pick up your prescriptions, be it due to weather, distance, a sick family member, or inconvenient hours)
I want your help to make telepharmacy legal in (state). Please let me know what the next steps would be to making this legal. (Be sure to include your name and address on both your letter and envelope.)
Sincerely,
SIGN YOUR NAME
Print your name
Street address
City, State, Zip code
State Board of Pharmacy Facts:
- Provides better access to a pharmacist so patients can get their medications and get better faster
- Improves patient outcomes since a pharmacist is now available through audio/visual technology to answer any questions
- Lowers healthcare costs due to increased medication adherence and decreased hospitalization
- Keeps prescriptions in the state instead of getting them through the mail
COVID-19 Specific Template
COVID-19 Specific
(Month) (Day) (Year)
(First name) (Last name)(title), Executive Director
(State) Board of Pharmacy
(Street Address)
(CAPITOL), (STATE) (Zip Code)
RE: Telepharmacy
Dear (Title)(Last name):
My name is (your first and last name) and I am a (licensed pharmacist in/resident of) (state). Recently with the spread of COVID-19, I learned that telepharmacy can be used to safely provide continued access to prescription medications and pharmacy services, and I am asking for your support in allowing telepharmacy in our state during this time.
While pharmacies are implementing any measures possible to prevent the spread of the disease, I am concerned that if my pharmacy staff gets infected, the pharmacy may be forced to close, leaving our community without access to vital services. Telepharmacy would be beneficial during this emergency as it allows pharmacies to stay open, and provides continued access to medications (including OTCs) and a trusted healthcare professional. Additionally, touchless workflows as used in some telepharmacy models are an additional safeguard that can be used to further social distancing efforts without impacting the delivery of care or changing the scope of practice for any staff members. (Include a personal story. Tell the board of pharmacy why the issue is important to you and how it affects you as a pharmacist or as a patient, your staff, and your community.)
I want your help to make telepharmacy legal in (state) during this time of uncertainty. Please let me know what the next steps would be to make this legal. (Be sure to include your name and address on both your letter and envelope.)
Sincerely,
SIGN YOUR NAME
Print your name
Street address
City, State, Zip code
Step 3
Contact your legislator or public official
Get the template
State Representative Educational Letter Template
(Month) (Day) (Year)
The Honorable (First name) (Last name) (Room Number),
State Capitol (CITY), (STATE) (Zip Code)
RE: Telepharmacy
Dear (Representative/Senator) (Last name):
My name is (your first and last name) and I am a resident of your (district/state), living in (insert town name). Recently I learned that telepharmacy can safely provide access to prescription medications for medically unserved communities, such as my own, and I am asking for your support in allowing telepharmacy in our state.
(Pick some facts from the fact list below. Choose up to three of the strongest points that support your position and state them clearly.) (Include a personal story. Tell your representative why the issue is important to you and how it affects you, your family member and your community. Tell them about a time it was challenging to pick up your prescriptions, be it due to weather, distance, a sick family member, or inconvenient hours)
I want your help to make telepharmacy legal in (state). Please let me know what the next steps would be to making this legal. (Be sure to include your name and address on both your letter and envelope.)
Sincerely,
SIGN YOUR NAME
Print your name
Street address
City, State, Zip code
State Representative Facts:
- Provides better access to a pharmacist so patients can get their medications and get better faster
- Improves patient outcomes since a pharmacist is now available through audio/visual technology to answer any questions
- Lowers healthcare costs due to increased medication adherence and decreased hospitalization
- Saves and creates jobs in the rural area
- Keeps prescriptions in the state instead of getting them through the mail
COVID-19 Specific Template
COVID-19 Specific
(Month) (Day) (Year)
The Honorable (First name) (Last name) (Room Number),
State Capitol (CITY), (STATE) (Zip Code)
RE: Telepharmacy
Dear (Representative/Senator) (Last name):
My name is (your first and last name) and I am a (resident of/licensed pharmacist in) your (district/state), living in (insert town name). Recently with the spread of COVID-19, I learned that telepharmacy can be used to safely provide continued access to prescription medications and pharmacy services, and I am asking for your support in allowing telepharmacy in our state during this time.
Telepharmacy combines improvements in technology with the dispensing process; the pharmacist and technician are doing all the same tasks as before and the scope of practice for either has not changed at all. Instead the pharmacist is just supervising the technician from a distance with the use of audio/visual technology.
While pharmacies are implementing any measures possible to prevent the spread of the disease, I am concerned that if the pharmacy staff gets infected the pharmacy may be forced to close, leaving our community without access to vital services and a trusted healthcare professional. Additionally, touchless workflows as used in some telepharmacy models are an additional safeguard that can be used to further social distancing efforts without impacting the delivery of care or changing the scope of practice for any staff members. (Include a personal story. Tell your representative why the issue is important to you and how it affects you as a pharmacist or as a patient, your staff, and your community)
I want your help to make telepharmacy legal in (state) during this time of uncertainty. Please let me know what the next steps would be to make this legal. (Be sure to include your name and address on both your letter and envelope.)
Sincerely,
SIGN YOUR NAME
Print your name
Street address
City, State, Zip code