Virtual medication therapy management: the cornerstone to a pharmacy renaissance.

OBJECTIVES: To introduce an innovative clinical service that can be used to reduce medication errors and improve quality of care in the rural environment, in order to assist in eliminating or alleviating disparities in health based on geographical location.
SUMMARY: Virtual medication therapy management (MTM) will be a tool to assist underserved populations, specifically residents of rural communities. It will use videoconferencing software to provide MTM services to populations that lack access to care. For virtual MTM to be effective, specific measures must be implemented to comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, and state regulations must be established to standardize the practice.
CONCLUSION: The virtual MTM model is a feasible and promising model for advancing MTM services. With commitment and cooperation from various health care fields, virtual MTM could be the cornerstone of a health care renaissance.