Decades of human spaceflight have highlighted unique challenges in managing health and medication in space, shedding light on high-stakes scenarios where timely medical intervention is crucial. At the same time, on Earth, there is a growing need for improved telehealth solutions to serve patients in remote or rural locations where access to healthcare is limited. Space medicine has developed robust telemedical protocols to ensure astronaut well-being, and these approaches have spurred developments in terrestrial healthcare. However, gaps remain—particularly in the integration of pharmaceutical care through digital means. Space missions, with astronauts or less experienced spacefarers, currently lack dedicated telepharmacy systems to oversee medication use and provide real-time drug management during missions. Similarly, on Earth, remote patients often receive piecemeal support (phone consultations, basic digital reminders) rather than a comprehensive pharmacy-led telecare solution. Against this backdrop, the authors identify an opportunity to translate space telehealth knowledge into civilian digital health innovations. Their project addresses the need for a structured, telepharmacy-focused platform that can support medication management and patient safety both on Earth and in future space endeavours, effectively merging terrestrial digital health advancements with lessons from space.
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DEVELOPMENT OF A DIGITAL PLATFORM: A PERSPECTIVE TO ADVANCE SPACE TELEPHARMACY
Publication type: Article Summary
Original title: Development of a Digital Platform: A Perspective to Advance Space Telepharmacy
Article publication date: January 2023
Source: IEEE – Open Journal of Engineering in Medicine and Biology
Author(s): Marlise A dos Santos, Juliana Herbert, Ilaria Cinelli (Member, IEEE), Jose Antonio L Burmann, Vinicius V Soares & Thais Russomano
What is the goal, target audience, and areas of digital health it addresses?
The paper presents the development of a digital telepharmacy platform aimed at providing remote pharmaceutical care, drawing inspiration from expertise in space medicine. The objective is to leverage lessons from space telemedicine to enhance pharmacotherapeutic support for patients who are geographically distant or lack easy access to healthcare services. Telepharmacy focuses on remote pharmaceutical guidance and monitoring to improve medication adherence and early detection of health issues, ultimately contributing to better patient outcomes. The target audience includes healthcare professionals—particularly pharmacists—and patients requiring regular medication management in remote or underserved areas, as well as potential future space travellers (astronauts or space tourists) who may need medical support during missions. The work falls under the umbrella of digital health and telehealth, with a specific focus on telepharmacy as a novel domain bridging traditional healthcare and aerospace medicine.
What is the context?
Decades of human spaceflight have highlighted unique challenges in managing health and medication in space, shedding light on high-stakes scenarios where timely medical intervention is crucial. At the same time, on Earth, there is a growing need for improved telehealth solutions to serve patients in remote or rural locations where access to healthcare is limited. Space medicine has developed robust telemedical protocols to ensure astronaut well-being, and these approaches have spurred developments in terrestrial healthcare. However, gaps remain—particularly in the integration of pharmaceutical care through digital means. Space missions, with astronauts or less experienced spacefarers, currently lack dedicated telepharmacy systems to oversee medication use and provide real-time drug management during missions. Similarly, on Earth, remote patients often receive piecemeal support (phone consultations, basic digital reminders) rather than a comprehensive pharmacy-led telecare solution. Against this backdrop, the authors identify an opportunity to translate space telehealth knowledge into civilian digital health innovations. Their project addresses the need for a structured, telepharmacy-focused platform that can support medication management and patient safety both on Earth and in future space endeavours, effectively merging terrestrial digital health advancements with lessons from space.
What are the current approaches?
Conventional approaches to remote healthcare rely heavily on telemedicine for medical consultations and telemonitoring of vital signs, but telepharmacy services remain limited. Existing telepharmacy interventions often involve simple, decentralised tools—like medication reminder apps or ad-hoc pharmacist consultations via telephone—without a unified platform or advanced decision-support. Meanwhile, in the context of spaceflight, astronaut health management leverages telehealth techniques (including remote medical check-ups and ground-controlled interventions) but is primarily focused on immediate medical care rather than comprehensive pharmacy services. This means that although astronauts receive medical support, the systematic pharmaceutical care (such as routine medication reviews, adherence monitoring, or personalised drug guidance) is not yet fully implemented with digital tools during space missions. The current standard on Earth for pharmacy practice in remote care typically involves community healthcare workers or follow-up phone calls. Thus, before this study, no integrated digital telepharmacy platform existed that could seamlessly connect patients, pharmacists, and an intelligent support system. This novel approach aims to fill that gap, complementing existing telehealth practices with a dedicated, evidence-based telepharmacy solution.
What does innovation consist of? How is the impact of this technology assessed? Or How does technology support this innovation?
The core innovation is a comprehensive telepharmacy platform that delivers both pharmaceutical teleconsultations and teleassistance (remote monitoring/support by pharmacists) through a user-friendly digital application. Developed over approximately one year, the platform’s architecture includes two main modules: a front-end interface (built with ReactJS) for patient and practitioner interaction, and a back-end system (using NodeJS and a MySQL database) to manage data and service logic. The platform implements standardized service protocols derived from best practices in space and remote medicine, and integrates artificial intelligence for clinical decision support. This AI component leverages validated clinical guidelines and patient-specific data to provide timely recommendations or alerts to pharmacists, facilitating swift, evidence-based responses to patient needs. Key features of the platform encompass video conferencing for remote consultations, patient and professional records management (appointments, medical histories, medication data), scheduling of follow-ups post-hospital discharge, digital form-filling for prescriptions and treatment plans, and strict compliance with data privacy regulations (ensuring confidentiality and security in line with GDPR standards).
To evaluate the platform’s impact, the team conducted pilot validation studies in real-world settings. The platform was tested in two separate cohorts: (i) a post-hospitalization follow-up program involving 20 cardiac patients monitored over 30 days, and (ii) a mental health support program for 17 patients over a 60-day period. In each scenario, the effectiveness of the telepharmacy service was assessed by tracking key outcomes such as medication adherence rates, number of subsequent hospital readmissions, and user satisfaction, comparing these metrics against typical outcomes from standard care procedures.
What are the main results? What is the impact of these results? Or What are the results obtained? What are the main conclusions from these results? What is the future of this approach?
The initial results are highly encouraging. In the cardiac patient group, the telepharmacy intervention achieved a medication adherence rate of 95%, and, over the ensuing nine months, there was a roughly 25% reduction in hospital readmissions compared to control patients receiving standard care. Notably, physicians accepted and implemented 71% of the pharmacists’ recommendations delivered via the platform, indicating strong trust and collaborative potential between remote pharmacists and in-person doctors. In the mental health cohort, 88% of patients showed clinical improvement in their symptoms after two months of using the telepharmacy service, and none required re-hospitalization during the follow-up period. Moreover, patient engagement with treatment improved substantially (the number of non-adherent patients was cut by around half, and fully adherent patients increased by 28%). Across both pilots, all responding participants reported being satisfied with the telepharmacy service, highlighting the convenience and added value of continuous remote pharmacist support.
In conclusion, the study demonstrates that a digital telepharmacy platform can significantly enhance pharmaceutical care outside of traditional healthcare settings, boosting treatment adherence and reducing complications that lead to emergency visits or hospital admissions. While designed for terrestrial use, this platform illustrates how digital health solutions can be adapted to the context of space missions, potentially benefiting astronauts and space tourists by providing reliable, ground-supported medication management. The authors emphasize that the success of such technology must be coupled with continued human oversight and involvement — pharmacists and physicians working together through the platform to maintain a personalized, empathetic approach to care. For future perspectives, further research and development are recommended, including trials in more challenging and extended scenarios (potentially under conditions analogous to space environments) to refine the platform’s features and ensure its readiness for eventual use in actual space missions, thereby advancing the field of space telepharmacy.
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Home / Publications / Publication
DEVELOPMENT OF A DIGITAL PLATFORM: A PERSPECTIVE TO ADVANCE SPACE TELEPHARMACY
Publication type: Article Summary
Original title: Development of a Digital Platform: A Perspective to Advance Space Telepharmacy
Article publication date: January 2023
Source: IEEE – Open Journal of Engineering in Medicine and Biology
Author(s): Marlise A dos Santos, Juliana Herbert, Ilaria Cinelli (Member, IEEE), Jose Antonio L Burmann, Vinicius V Soares & Thais Russomano
What is the goal, target audience, and areas of digital health it addresses?
The paper presents the development of a digital telepharmacy platform aimed at providing remote pharmaceutical care, drawing inspiration from expertise in space medicine. The objective is to leverage lessons from space telemedicine to enhance pharmacotherapeutic support for patients who are geographically distant or lack easy access to healthcare services. Telepharmacy focuses on remote pharmaceutical guidance and monitoring to improve medication adherence and early detection of health issues, ultimately contributing to better patient outcomes. The target audience includes healthcare professionals—particularly pharmacists—and patients requiring regular medication management in remote or underserved areas, as well as potential future space travellers (astronauts or space tourists) who may need medical support during missions. The work falls under the umbrella of digital health and telehealth, with a specific focus on telepharmacy as a novel domain bridging traditional healthcare and aerospace medicine.
What is the context?
Decades of human spaceflight have highlighted unique challenges in managing health and medication in space, shedding light on high-stakes scenarios where timely medical intervention is crucial. At the same time, on Earth, there is a growing need for improved telehealth solutions to serve patients in remote or rural locations where access to healthcare is limited. Space medicine has developed robust telemedical protocols to ensure astronaut well-being, and these approaches have spurred developments in terrestrial healthcare. However, gaps remain—particularly in the integration of pharmaceutical care through digital means. Space missions, with astronauts or less experienced spacefarers, currently lack dedicated telepharmacy systems to oversee medication use and provide real-time drug management during missions. Similarly, on Earth, remote patients often receive piecemeal support (phone consultations, basic digital reminders) rather than a comprehensive pharmacy-led telecare solution. Against this backdrop, the authors identify an opportunity to translate space telehealth knowledge into civilian digital health innovations. Their project addresses the need for a structured, telepharmacy-focused platform that can support medication management and patient safety both on Earth and in future space endeavours, effectively merging terrestrial digital health advancements with lessons from space.
What are the current approaches?
Conventional approaches to remote healthcare rely heavily on telemedicine for medical consultations and telemonitoring of vital signs, but telepharmacy services remain limited. Existing telepharmacy interventions often involve simple, decentralised tools—like medication reminder apps or ad-hoc pharmacist consultations via telephone—without a unified platform or advanced decision-support. Meanwhile, in the context of spaceflight, astronaut health management leverages telehealth techniques (including remote medical check-ups and ground-controlled interventions) but is primarily focused on immediate medical care rather than comprehensive pharmacy services. This means that although astronauts receive medical support, the systematic pharmaceutical care (such as routine medication reviews, adherence monitoring, or personalised drug guidance) is not yet fully implemented with digital tools during space missions. The current standard on Earth for pharmacy practice in remote care typically involves community healthcare workers or follow-up phone calls. Thus, before this study, no integrated digital telepharmacy platform existed that could seamlessly connect patients, pharmacists, and an intelligent support system. This novel approach aims to fill that gap, complementing existing telehealth practices with a dedicated, evidence-based telepharmacy solution.
What does innovation consist of? How is the impact of this technology assessed? Or How does technology support this innovation?
The core innovation is a comprehensive telepharmacy platform that delivers both pharmaceutical teleconsultations and teleassistance (remote monitoring/support by pharmacists) through a user-friendly digital application. Developed over approximately one year, the platform’s architecture includes two main modules: a front-end interface (built with ReactJS) for patient and practitioner interaction, and a back-end system (using NodeJS and a MySQL database) to manage data and service logic. The platform implements standardized service protocols derived from best practices in space and remote medicine, and integrates artificial intelligence for clinical decision support. This AI component leverages validated clinical guidelines and patient-specific data to provide timely recommendations or alerts to pharmacists, facilitating swift, evidence-based responses to patient needs. Key features of the platform encompass video conferencing for remote consultations, patient and professional records management (appointments, medical histories, medication data), scheduling of follow-ups post-hospital discharge, digital form-filling for prescriptions and treatment plans, and strict compliance with data privacy regulations (ensuring confidentiality and security in line with GDPR standards).
To evaluate the platform’s impact, the team conducted pilot validation studies in real-world settings. The platform was tested in two separate cohorts: (i) a post-hospitalization follow-up program involving 20 cardiac patients monitored over 30 days, and (ii) a mental health support program for 17 patients over a 60-day period. In each scenario, the effectiveness of the telepharmacy service was assessed by tracking key outcomes such as medication adherence rates, number of subsequent hospital readmissions, and user satisfaction, comparing these metrics against typical outcomes from standard care procedures.
What are the main results? What is the impact of these results? Or What are the results obtained? What are the main conclusions from these results? What is the future of this approach?
The initial results are highly encouraging. In the cardiac patient group, the telepharmacy intervention achieved a medication adherence rate of 95%, and, over the ensuing nine months, there was a roughly 25% reduction in hospital readmissions compared to control patients receiving standard care. Notably, physicians accepted and implemented 71% of the pharmacists’ recommendations delivered via the platform, indicating strong trust and collaborative potential between remote pharmacists and in-person doctors. In the mental health cohort, 88% of patients showed clinical improvement in their symptoms after two months of using the telepharmacy service, and none required re-hospitalization during the follow-up period. Moreover, patient engagement with treatment improved substantially (the number of non-adherent patients was cut by around half, and fully adherent patients increased by 28%). Across both pilots, all responding participants reported being satisfied with the telepharmacy service, highlighting the convenience and added value of continuous remote pharmacist support.
In conclusion, the study demonstrates that a digital telepharmacy platform can significantly enhance pharmaceutical care outside of traditional healthcare settings, boosting treatment adherence and reducing complications that lead to emergency visits or hospital admissions. While designed for terrestrial use, this platform illustrates how digital health solutions can be adapted to the context of space missions, potentially benefiting astronauts and space tourists by providing reliable, ground-supported medication management. The authors emphasize that the success of such technology must be coupled with continued human oversight and involvement — pharmacists and physicians working together through the platform to maintain a personalized, empathetic approach to care. For future perspectives, further research and development are recommended, including trials in more challenging and extended scenarios (potentially under conditions analogous to space environments) to refine the platform’s features and ensure its readiness for eventual use in actual space missions, thereby advancing the field of space telepharmacy.
Would you like to know all the details?
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Demographic ageing poses significant challenges to healthcare systems, intensifying the pressure on infrastructures and human resources. It is estimated that by 2050 the elderly population will exceed 2 billion people, making it imperative to implement…
Mobile Application to Improve Workflows in Nursing Homes
Portugal has one of the highest aging populations in the world, placing increasing pressure on elderly care services, especially in nursing homes. Healthcare professionals in these facilities are often overwhelmed due to the increasing number…
Facilitating Epilepsy Diagnosis With a Wireless and Wearable EEG System
Paroxysmal diseases are characterized by sudden, episodic conditions that cause temporary changes in the body. Among them, epilepsy stands out for causing synchronous and uncontrolled neuronal discharges, resulting in recurrent and unprovoked seizures. These seizures…
Automatic Segmentation of Blood Vessels in Carotid Ultrasound Images
Vascular diseases, such as carotid stenosis (narrowing of the carotid arteries, which connect the heart to the brain, caused by the accumulation of fatty atheroma plaques), cerebrovascular accidents (CVA) (sudden interruption of blood flow to…
Impact of Robotherapy-PARO on Elderly People With Dementia in Portugal
Aging is a gradual, multifactorial and continuous process characterized by the progressive loss of biological function and degeneration associated with the onset of age-related diseases. In Portugal, the aging of the population is particularly noticeable,…
New Era of Interoperability in Healthcare Systems
The growing use of electronic health records, digital diagnostic systems and remote monitoring technologies has led to a significant increase in the volume and complexity of health data. This increase intensifies the need for continuous,…
Improvement in Breast Tumor Localization With an Image Fusion Algorithm
Breast-conserving surgery aims to remove tumors while preserving as much healthy breast tissue as possible, ensuring optimal aesthetic outcomes that are critical for a patient’s quality of life. To achieve this objective, precise location of…
Collaborative Robotics Improves Working Conditions
Workers face growing challenges in the industrial environment. Among the most critical are fatigue and inappropriate postures, often associated with repetitive tasks and working conditions that lack ergonomic suitability. These factors represent significant risks for…
The Role of Mobile Technologies in the Monitoring and Rehabilitation of Peripheral Arterial Disease
PAD is a prevalent chronic condition, affecting approximately 200 million individuals globally, characterized by obstruction of the peripheral arteries, especially in the lower extremities, due to the formation of atherosclerotic plaques, which compromise blood flow…
Incorporation of Digital Implants Into CT Images to Plan Orthopedic Surgery
Orthopedic surgery addresses conditions of the musculoskeletal system to alleviate pain, restore function, and enhance the patient’s quality of life. Its success relies on meticulous pre-operative planning that incorporates clinical data and patient-specific imaging to…
Digital Health at the Top of the National Poliempreende 2024 Results
Poliempreende is a consolidated national network for encouraging entrepreneurship in higher education in Portugal, with two decades of existence. Focused on promoting innovation, the competition has had a significant impact on the national economy, with…
Digital Solution Facilitates Interaction Between Users and Health Professionals
Many patients face difficulties scheduling medical appointments in hospital units, and, when successful, they often endure long waiting times to be attended. This situation is aggravated by problems such as the incompatibility of schedules between…
The Impact of Calm Computing Integration on the Clinical Process
In recent years, digital transformation in healthcare has played a crucial role, driven by the exponential increase in medical data. This ranges from administrative information to detailed records of diagnoses, laboratory tests, medical images and…
ULS Almada-Seixal Revolutionizes With the Region’s First Surgical Robot
In recent years, ULSAS has been gradually implementing robotic systems, reinforcing its commitment to innovation and improving healthcare. Recently, the institution acquired a state-of-the-art robotic system, developed under the concept of an ‘immersive intuitive interface’,…
Online Intervention Aims to Prevent Anxiety in the General Population
Anxiety disorders are a global problem, affecting 300 million people worldwide and placing significant pressure on individuals and healthcare systems. In Europe alone, the economic impact reached 74.380 million in 2010, with 62.2% attributed to…
Rehabilitation of Facial Paralysis Through Virtual Assistants
Facial paralysis, defined by the inability to move one or both sides of the face, has an incidence of 20 to 30 cases per 100,000 people annually. This condition often causes facial weakness, difficulties in…
Detection of Anxiety and Panic Attacks in Real Time
The growing number of people with anxiety disorders, along with increased awareness of mental health, drives the need for new technological tools that provide remote and continuous monitoring of anxiety and panic disorders. Thus, the…
A Novel Approach for Robotic-assisted Tele-echography
Currently, robotic systems for ultrasound diagnostic procedures fall into two main categories: portable robots that require manual positioning and fully autonomous robotic systems that independently control the ultrasound probe’s orientation and positioning. Portable robots rely…
From Big Data to Big Decisions: How AI Stratifies Cancer Cases by Risk Factors
The CLARIFY Decision Support Platform (DSP) is a responsive web application designed to support decision-making in cancer care through real-time data integration and predictive analytics. Built on Big Data Europe, the platform integrates a variety…
From “Free Text” to Structured Clinical Data: the Foundation for Clinical Decision Support Systems
Currently, the practice of recording clinical information in “free text” offers flexibility, but hinders automatic data extraction, limiting the application of analytical models. Most records are unstructured, and the use of non-standard abbreviations increases ambiguity,…
Artificial Intelligence used in Depression Detection in Cancer Survivors
The goal of the FAITH project (Federated Artificial Intelligence solution for moniToring mental Health status after cancer treatment) is to remotely identify and predict depressive symptoms in cancer survivors using a federated machine learning approach…
Integration of SONHO v2 and SClínico Systems at ULS of Coimbra to Improve Healthcare Services
With more than half a million hospital medical consultations carried out in the first half of 2024, the ULS of Coimbra stands out as an institution dedicated to integrated, high-quality and patient-centered healthcare, with 8…
Elderly Care Ecosystem: an Innovative Platform for Personalized and Efficient Services
The Elderly Care Ecosystem (ECE) is an integration of various digital health technologies, exploring the areas of telehealth and predictive analytics. The goal of this ecosystem is to improve the quality of life for elderly…
Innovative technology that subconsciously relieves anxiety through a scarf
The SCAARF technology aims to offer an alternative method to alleviate anxiety symptoms in a non-intrusive and subconscious way. This technology is an innovative idea in the field of digital health and wearable technology, designed…
Digital Health Interventions: Equity in Hypertension Care for Everyone
Nearly half of all adults in the United States have hypertension, one of the leading risk factors for cardiovascular disease, and only about a quarter (24%) of those people have their hypertension under control. Studies…
Personalization and Technology in Diabetes Management
IPDM has significant potential to improve diabetes management and drive health system reforms to become high-performing, effective, equitable, accessible, and sustainable. Evidence and good practices inspire health system transformation. Adopting person-centred approaches like co-creation and…
Negotiations on the European Health Data Space Advance With the Participation of the SPMS
The European Health Data Space will be a common health data sharing system across the European Union. It foresees the use of data for purposes that benefit people and society. It will ensure citizens have…
Secretary of State Margarida Tavares Emphasizes Digital Innovation in Health Promotion
Margarida Tavares spoke at the opening of the conference ” O Digital na promoção contínua da saúde e do bem-estar”, organized by the Associação para a Promoção e Desenvolvimento da Sociedade da Informação (APDSI) and…
ARS Algarve Modernizes Radiology With AI and New Data Center
The radiology service of ARS Algarve has already performed nearly 29,000 exams using Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology. In recent years, there has been a significant investment in image digitization and data storage, as well as…
European Health Data Space: Unified Access To Health Data In The EU
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of digital services in health, but complex rules and increasing cyberattacks make it difficult to share data across Member States; the EHDS, based on several regulations, provides tailor-made rules…
European Commission Amends Digital Europe Programme With an Investment of €762.7 Million
The European Commission has amended the Digital Europe Programme work programmes 2023-2024, investing an additional €762.7 million in Europe’s digital transition and cybersecurity. The digital transition is the main work programme with a budget of…
SPMS Integrates the TEF-Health Initiative
SPMS participates in the TEF-Health initiative as a partner in a consortium composed of 51 entities from 9 European Union countries. This action is co-financed by the European Commission and has a duration of five…
FMUP Creates Inhealth Junior Academy for High School Students
The InHealth Junior Academy — Academia Júnior de Inovação em Saúde is an initiative of the Departamento de Medicina da Comunidade, Informação e Decisão em Saúde da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade do Porto (FMUP)….
SPMS Represents Portugal as Vice-president of GDHP
The GDHP is an intergovernmental organization in the digital health sector that facilitates cooperation and collaboration between government representatives and the World Health Organization (WHO). Its purpose is to foster policymaking that promote the digitalization…
Digital Transformation of Health at INCoDe.2030 in Tomar
The “National Digital Skills Initiative e.2030, Portugal” (INCoDe.2030) is an initiative that aims to improve the Portuguese population’s level of digital skills, placing Portugal at the level of the most advanced European countries in this…
Braga Hospital Evaluates Memory With Interactive Game in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple Sclerosis is known as a chronic disease of the central nervous system, with a wide variety of motor and sensory symptoms that can lead to work disability, socioeconomic burden, and reduced quality of life…
Neurosurgery Teleconsultation Wins Innovation Award
The aim of the BI Award for Innovation in Healthcare is to recognize innovative projects in the healthcare sector that improve the quality of life for the Portuguese people. In 2021, the specific theme was…
HealthData@PT: New SPMS Initiative for Health Data
Action HealthData@PT is launched in the context of the implementation of the European Health Data Space, and is an initiative approved by the European Commission under the EU4Health 2021-2027 programme. This initiative contributes to the…
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