REDUCTION OF PREVENTABLE READMISSIONS THROUGH A PHARMACIST-DRIVEN TRANSITION OF CARE PROGRAM

Hospital readmissions have a significant impact on cost and outcomes for patients. Many times, readmissions can be linked to gaps in care transition planning while in the hospital. These gaps include proper planning for self-care, compliance to care plans, and issues with home medication self-management. This paper explored the literature and presents options for reducing readmissions via expanded use of pharmacist. Pharmacists are medication experts and can be utilized to decrease the number of readmissions linked to medication management issues (e.g. medication reconciliation, meds to beds programs, and post-discharge follow-up phone calls). Findings discussed in this paper concluded that involvement of pharmacists in the discharge process can greatly enhance efficiency, patient safety, and reduce readmissions. The central theme of this paper recommends a more central role for pharmacist and pharmacy technicians toward a multidisciplinary approach to discharge