The impact of a community pharmacist conducted comprehensive medication review (CMR) on 30-day re-admission rates and increased patient satisfaction scores: A pilot study

Abstract

Objective: To determine the impact of pharmacist conducted Comprehensive Medication Review (CMR) follow-up within seven days after discharge on (1) readmission rates, (2) detection of drug related problems, (3) and changes in Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) scores. Design: Rates of re-admission for pneumonia, congestive heart failure (CHF), or myocardial infarction (MI), within 30 days of discharge are compared between patients receiving a CMR from the pharmacist to a historical control group not receiving the service. The CMR documentation is reviewed to classify any detected drug related problems. Overall HCAHPS scores for the hospital are compared for the three months prior to instituting this service and the three months during the service. Setting: Patients were discharged from a 101-bed acute care hospital located in rural West Virginia. The community pharmacist worked with the hospital to contact patients after discharge to demonstrate a partnership between inpatient and outpatient care. Patients: Patients were included if they had a discharge diagnosis of pneumonia, congestive heart failure (CHF), or myocardial infarction (MI), and were returning to self-care or family-care. If discharged between 10/12/2012 and 12/11/2012 they were included in the historical control group. If discharged between 12/12/2012 and 2/12/2012 they were offered the CMR service and included in the intervention group. Intervention: Patients received a telephone call two to seven days following discharge from a pharmacist who conducted the Comprehensive Medication Review (CMR). Results: Patients who participated in a CMR via the telephone had decreased 30-day readmission rates compared to the historical control group (16% v 33%). Overall 22 significant drug therapy problems were identified among patients. HCAHPS scores for the questions “Did you receive communication regarding your medications” increased during the study time period (65% vs 72%). Conclusion: The mixed results of available data from previous studies on pharmacist inclusion in the discharge process focuses heavily on counseling before the patient is discharged. Results of this study show community pharmacist partnership in discharge follow-up can also assist in decreasing readmissions, detecting drug related problems, and increasing patient satisfaction.