Enhanced communication between inpatient and community pharmacists to optimize medication management during transitions of care

McCarthy, Lisa; Li, Sonja; Fernandes, Olavo; Cameron, Karen; Lui, Pauline Po Yee; Wong, Gary; Pariser, Pauline; Farrell, John; Luke, Miles J; Guilcher, Sara

doi:10.1016/j.japh.2018.09.006

Cited by 13 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…To further explore findings from our previous evaluation of PROMPT [12] about the value of a routine follow-up telephone call between the hospital and community pharmacists, the current study's protocol proposed an analysis of pharmacists' perceptions of full versus partial interventions. However, in meetings with hospital pharmacists prior to launch of the study, pharmacists at one site opted to not perform partial interventions because they felt this variation of the intervention may restrict their ability to deliver comprehensive patient care.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The PROMPT intervention ( Fig. 1) is composed of two main elements: (1) a discharge package; (2) a follow-up telephone call [12]. First, the hospital pharmacist faxes the discharge package to the community pharmacist.…”

Section: The Prompt Interventionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Leveraging the role of community pharmacists for transitions in care and medication management, the Pharmacy Communication Partnership (PROMPT) intervention was created in 2015 by an interprofessional group of stakeholders in the Greater Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada [12]. Based on best evidence about successful medication management during transitions, the novelty of the PROMPT intervention lies in providing a communication link between pharmacists practicing in hospital and community settings, with the goal of sharing clinically relevant information at discharge to improve care continuity.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In an earlier evaluation of PROMPT, we focused on describing the characteristics of patients on behalf of whom hospital pharmacists chose to deliver the intervention, the amount and type of communication required between hospital and community pharmacists, and community pharmacists' preliminary opinions of the intervention [12]. Initial feedback from community pharmacists was positive, yet some provided suggestions on how to further optimize the intervention.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

A developmental evaluation of an intraprofessional Pharmacy Communication Partnership (PROMPT) to improve transitions in care from hospital to community: A mixed-methods study

Guilcher

Fernandes

Luke

et al. 2020

BMC Health Serv Res

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Background: People transitioning from hospital-to community-based care are at increased risk of experiencing medication problems that can lead to adverse drug events and poor health outcomes. Community pharmacists provide medication expertise and support during care transitions yet are not routinely included in communications between hospitals and other primary health care providers. The PhaRmacy COMmunication ParTnership (PROMPT) intervention facilitates medication management by optimizing information sharing between pharmacists across care settings. This developmental evaluation sought to assess the feasibility and acceptability of implementing the PROMPT intervention, and to explore how contextual factors influenced its implementation. Methods: PROMPT was implemented for 14 weeks (January-April, 2018) in the general internal medicine units at two teaching hospitals in Toronto, Canada. PROMPT featured two contact points between hospital and community pharmacists around patient discharge: (1) faxing an enhanced discharge prescription and discharge summary to a patient's community pharmacy and (2) a follow-up phone call from the hospital pharmacist to the community pharmacist. Our mixed-method evaluation involved electronic patient records, process measures using tracking forms, telephone surveys and semi-structured interviews with participating community and hospital pharmacists. Results: The intervention involved 45 patients with communication between 12 hospital and 45 community pharmacists. Overall, the intervention had challenges with feasibility. Issues with fidelity included challenges with the medical discharge summary being available at the time of faxing and hospital pharmacists' difficulties with incorporating novel elements of the program into their existing practices. However, both community and hospital pharmacists recognized the potential benefits to patient care that PROMPT offered, and both groups proposed recommendations for further improvements. Suggestions included enhancing hospital staffing and resources.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: The Prompt Interventionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A developmental evaluation of an intraprofessional Pharmacy Communication Partnership (PROMPT) to improve transitions in care from hospital to community: A mixed-methods study

Guilcher

Fernandes

Luke

et al. 2020

BMC Health Serv Res

Self Cite

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“…One hospital community pharmacy that participated in our study communicated changes to patients’ regular community pharmacies on a daily basis. A study has shown that community pharmacies appreciate receiving discharge prescriptions (including information on new and stopped medications) before patients come to the pharmacy [ 48 ]. They feel that, this way, they have more time to prepare the prescriptions and resolve discrepancies.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pharmaceutical Discharge Management: Implementation in Swiss Hospitals Compared to International Guidelines

et al. 2021

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Readmissions to the hospital are frequent after hospital discharge. Pharmacist-led interventions have been shown to reduce readmissions. The objective of this study was to describe pharmacist-led interventions to support patients’ medication management at hospital discharge in Switzerland and to compare them to international guidelines. We conducted a national online survey among chief hospital pharmacists focusing on medication management at hospital discharge. To put our findings in perspective, Cochrane reviews and guidelines were searched for summarised evidence and recommendations on interventions. Based on answers in the survey, hospitals with implemented models to support patients at discharge were selected for in-depth interviews. In semi-structured interviews, they were asked to describe pharmacists’ involvement in the patients’ pathway throughout the hospital stay. In Swiss hospitals (n = 44 survey participants), interventions to support patients at discharge were frequently implemented, mostly “patient education” (n = 40) and “communication to primary care provider” (n = 34). These interventions were commonly recommended in guidelines. Overall, pharmacists were rarely involved in the interventions on a regular basis. When pharmacists were involved, the services were provided by hospital pharmacies or collaborating community pharmacies. In conclusion, interventions recommended in guidelines were frequently implemented in Swiss hospitals, however pharmacists were rarely involved.

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Collaboration between pharmacists in community pharmacy and ambulatory clinic settings: Current state and future directions

Cochran¹,

McGivney²,

DiBridge³

et al. 2023

J Am Coll Clin Pharm

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Pharmacists in the community and ambulatory settings are primed for collaboration that can optimize care. Now is the time to capitalize on the momentum and positive disruption of the COVID‐19 pandemic that propelled pharmacists and their organizations to respond with agility to deliver care in new ways, pivot to develop new partnerships, and leverage technology. The growth of collaborative practice agreements within ambulatory care settings, the enhancement of clinically integrated networks, and the growth in professional organization support create an environment ripe for implementation of pharmacist‐to‐pharmacist collaborations. The American College of Clinical Pharmacy 2022 Clinical Practice Affairs B Committee sought out literature, as well as prepublication contemporary examples, demonstrating models of intraprofessional collaboration among pharmacists in community and ambulatory settings. The committee formulated six key recommendations to optimize pharmacist collaborations in the community and ambulatory settings and formed a framework for practical implementation strategies at the levels of individual pharmacists, organizations, and educational institutions and for legislative advocacy.

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Enhanced communication between inpatient and community pharmacists to optimize medication management during transitions of care

Cited by 13 publications

References 16 publications

A developmental evaluation of an intraprofessional Pharmacy Communication Partnership (PROMPT) to improve transitions in care from hospital to community: A mixed-methods study

A developmental evaluation of an intraprofessional Pharmacy Communication Partnership (PROMPT) to improve transitions in care from hospital to community: A mixed-methods study

Pharmaceutical Discharge Management: Implementation in Swiss Hospitals Compared to International Guidelines

Collaboration between pharmacists in community pharmacy and ambulatory clinic settings: Current state and future directions

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