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Post-discharge Medication Reconciliation: Reduction in Readmissions in a Geriatric Primary Care Clinic.
J Aging Health. 2018 Aug 30;:898264318795571
Authors: Liu VC, Mohammad I, Deol BB, Balarezo A, Deng L, Garwood CL
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate hospital utilization and characterize interventions of pharmacist-led telephonic post-discharge medication reconciliation.
METHOD: A retrospective analysis was conducted, including 833 index events in 586 geriatric patients receiving the intervention. Medicare claims were used to capture 30-day hospital utilization (admission to the emergency department, observation unit, or inpatient hospitalization) following discharge from any of these locations. Medication-related interventions were described.
RESULTS: Hospital utilization within 30 days after discharge from any location was greater for patients receiving usual care compared with the intervention (32.5% vs. 22.2%; odds ratio [OR] = 1.69, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [1.06, 2.68]). Inpatient admission within 30 days after discharge from any location was greater for those receiving usual care (14.7% vs. 6.4%; OR = 2.54, 95% CI = [1.18, 5.44]). At least one medication-related problem was identified and addressed in 89.8% of patients receiving the intervention.
DISCUSSION: A telephonic post-discharge medication reconciliation program can lead to reduction in hospital utilization in a geriatric population.
PMID: 30160567 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]