Pharmacist-Led Discharge Care to Reduce Postdischarge Health Care Utilization

Pharmacist-led peridischarge transitions of care (TOC) interventions reduce adverse drug events after hospital discharge, but do they reduce readmissions and other health care utilization?This randomized clinical trial included 6478 patient hospitalizations among adults aged 55 years or older with polypharmacy or taking high-risk medications, randomized to either usual care (admission medication reconciliation) or pharmacist-led medication review, discharge medication reconciliation, and addressing of medication adherence and safety. No significant between-group difference was detected in all-hospital unplanned 30-day postdischarge health care utilization.Among older adults with polypharmacy, a pharmacist-led TOC intervention did not reduce 30-day unplanned health care utilization after hospital discharge.

Corresponding Author: Joshua M. Pevnick, MD, MSHS, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90048 (joshua.pevnick@cshs.org).

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