Bibliometric analysis of global telepharmacy research development: Trends, productivity, and future opportunities

Several countries have implemented e-pharmacy as a pharmaceutical service system during the COVID-19 pandemic. E-pharmacy is a pharmacy that operates via the internet and sends orders to customers via electronic mail (e-mail) or online pharmacy web portals. The aim of this study is to map the development of telepharmacy research worldwide. A bibliometric analysis was conducted in May 2016 using the Scopus database with the keyword “telepharmacy.” The collected data were analyzed descriptively based on publication year, country of publication, journal name, researcher productivity, and research subjects. The extracted data were then converted into a Comma Separated Values (CSV) format and processed using the VOSviewer application to generate a bibliometric map of telepharmacy research. The findings indicate a significant increase in telepharmacy-related publications from 1998 to 2022, with most studies published in the Bulletin of Indonesian Economic Studies. The United States contributed the highest number of publications, while the most productive researchers in this field were Petterson and Scott, followed by Margusino-Framinan and Morillo-Verdugo. Despite the increase in publications, telepharmacy remains a relatively new research topic, with only 254 documents found in the Scopus database. Telepharmacy research is still in its early stages, but it has shown steady growth over the years. Given its potential impact on pharmacy education, diabetes management, hospital and ambulatory care, treatment regulation, and pharmaceutical services, telepharmacy should be prioritized as a research area. Further studies are needed to explore and develop innovative service models that can contribute to advancements in healthcare technology and pharmacy practices worldwide.