title: Perceived sustainability of community telepharmacy in North Dakota.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the sustainability of the business model underlying the North Dakota Telepharmacy Project (NDTP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Of the 38 community pharmacy organizations (14 central, 24 remote), 27 organizations (11 central and 16 remote sites) in North Dakota provided a useable set of responses (71.1% response rate). A twelfth organization (a community pharmacy) ceased operations over the study's time frame and was not included in the data analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Emphasis is placed on NDTP community telepharmacies, because the community telepharmacy business model is more established than hospital telepharmacies. Yet little is known about the long-run financial viability of telepharmacies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Originally funded by a series of federal grants, the goal of the NDTP was to create the infrastructure necessary to support the development of telepharmacy sites. A 48-item questionnaire assessed the self-reported operational, financial, and community impacts of a community telepharmacy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The questionnaire was administered from December 2015 to February 2016 to all NDTP community telepharmacy owners-managers. Thus, 1 participant (owner-manager) addressed both central and remote-site locations served by a pharmacy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most respondents reported that their telepharmacy sites (especially remote sites) generate small positive financial returns for the organization. Respondents also reported that the closure of their remote sites would significantly harm the communities they serve.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NDTP aims of restoration and retention have been achieved via the investment and shared decision making with pharmacy owners in North Dakota. The telepharmacy model is sustainable, even if it does not generate significant economic profit.
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: Daniel L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Friesner
authors.forename: Teri
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Undem
authors.forename: Gabrielle
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Kelli
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sem
authors.forename: Charles D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Peterson
mesh_terms: D003157:Community Pharmacy Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009658:North Dakota; D010465:Perception; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*