Pharmacy groups launch initiative to improve care transition

Two leading pharmacy groups are combining forces on an initiative that they hope will more effectively involve pharmacists in the coordination of care transition and reduce the number of hospital readmissions of patients.

The American Pharmacists Association (APhA) and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) have launched the Medication Management in Care Transitions Project to identify best practice models that can be adopted on a broad scale.

“Utilizing pharmacists’ expertise is key in reducing the number of hospital readmissions, many of which are the result of medication-related problems,” ASHP Executive Vice President and CEO Paul W. Abramowitz, PharmD, FASHP, said in a press release.

“Pharmacists’ medication therapy management services can help prevent overuse, underuse, and inappropriate use of healthcare services that might otherwise lead to costly readmissions.”

There are a growing number of care models involving pharmacists, the associations said, but they are not yet well defined.

“Pharmacists are optimally positioned to ensure patients get the full benefit from safe, evidence-based use of medications,” Thomas Menighan, CEO and Executive Vice President, APhA, said in the statement.

“As pharmacists become increasingly involved in transitions of care, there is a need to highlight effective strategies for medication therapy management services that improve patient outcomes.”

An expert panel will review the initiatives and select up to 6 care transitions programs for development into case studies, according to the 2 pharmacists’ groups. The panel will outline key elements of the best programs and make recommendations for strategies by late spring.

To learn more about the project or submit a model for consideration, go to this site.

The deadline for submissions is January 18.