Impact of interdisciplinary case management and pharmacist transitions of care interventions on 30-day readmissions

BACKGROUND

Pharmacists and case managers positively impact patient health outcomes during the transition of care from the hospital to the home. However, the combination of both specialties completing post-discharge telephone calls has not been clearly studied.

OBJECTIVES

The primary outcome of this research was to identify the combined impact of post-discharge telephone calls from both pharmacists and case managers on all cause 30-day hospital readmissions when compared to a call from either group alone. Secondary outcomes included 30-day emergency department visits and types of medication therapy problems identified by pharmacists during the call.

METHODS

This retrospective study included high risk patients eligible for a post-discharge telephone call from both pharmacy and case management from January 1, 2021 to September 1, 2021. Patients were excluded if they did not complete a telephone call from either group or were deceased within 30 days of discharge. Results were analyzed using descriptive and chi square analyses.

RESULTS

Eighty-five hospital discharges were included in the study, with 24 patients receiving post-discharge telephone calls from both case management and pharmacy, and 61 patients receiving a call from either group alone. Thirty-day all cause readmissions occurred in 13% of the combined group versus 26% in either group alone (p = 0.171). Thirty-day all cause emergency department visits were 8% in the combined group versus 11% in either group alone (p = 0.617). Of the 38 post-discharge encounters completed by pharmacists, 120 medication therapy problems were identified, averaging over 3 medication issues per patient.

CONCLUSIONS

Collaboration amongst pharmacists and case managers has the potential to positively impact patient outcomes upon discharge from the hospital. Health systems should work to integrate transitions of care services performed across disciplines.