Transition of Care: Pharmacist Help Needed

摘要

Transition of care involves the coordination and continuity of health care as patients transfer between different settings. The transition between inpatient and community settings in particular is prone to medication errors related to a lack of communication between health care providers, missed patient follow-up, inadequate patient education, incomplete medication reconciliation, and the absence of patient involvement in medication management. Inconsistent care coordination contributes to the readmission of 20% of patients within 30 days of discharge.1 Interest in preventing readmissions has grown since the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has imposed financial penalties on hospitals with high 30-day readmission rates. Pharmacists can and should take a more active role in improving medication safety during care transitions; this could lead to a reduction in hospital readmissions and improved quality of care.