Mailed-order Pharmacy for Patients with Diabetes Mellitus during the COVID–19 Pandemic in Thailand

Abstract

This descriptive qualitative research was to explicate the system of mailed-order pharmacy for patients with diabetes in the COVID-19 situation in Thailand. It was guided by Six WHO health system Building Blocks. The 42 participants included directors, health professional councils, pharmacists, nurses and postman in 6 hospitals in 5 provinces were interviewed with 6 semi-structure questionnaires. The findings showed that overall of the mailed-order pharmacy system had been good managed and helped the patient receive drugs for their treatment continuously with enough amounts. For each building block, the hospital directors displayed leadership and governance by strongly supported the mailed-order pharmacy and spent healthcare financing support from the budget of the National Health Security office and Government; but it was still lacked of the health workforce, limited the contact information by call center and registration. For IT, the computer was more applicable. The drugs and medical equipment was enough allocated in inventory. The output and outcomes of the mailed-order pharmacy system were appropriate and efficient operated in all 8 aspects. Lastly, the impacts showed that it was less time in transportation and waiting for hospital visit and it reduces overcrowding and unnecessary visits to the hospitals. Conclusion, the mailed-order pharmacy is innovation process that decreases time for a visit and overcrowding in hospital and it also leads to the diabetic patients continuously accessed through treatment during the COVID–19 pandemic situation.