Improvement in immunosuppression therapy monitoring in organ transplant recipients.

PURPOSE: The results of a study to determine whether a technology-enabled pharmacist intervention improved immunosuppression monitoring in organ transplant recipients are presented.

METHODS: This was a retrospective, longitudinal cohort study. Eligible patients included veteran solid organ transplant recipients receiving immunosuppression therapy from a Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) between July 1, 2013, and July 1, 2015. A clinical pharmacist used an electronic surveillance system to determine need for laboratory monitoring and engaged the recipients to obtain regular laboratory monitoring at the VAMC or an outside facility. The primary aim was to determine whether the intervention improved immunosuppression monitoring using an interrupted time series inquiry with segmented regression analysis. The secondary aim was to assess care coordination using descriptive statistics.

RESULTS: A total of 110 veteran transplant recipients were included; 96% were male, 50% received kidney transplants, 36% received liver transplants, and 14% received thoracic transplants. During the 6-month initial intervention period, the rate of patients meeting minimum immunosuppression monitoring criteria increased by 4.7% per month ( p < 0.001). The monthly rate of patients meeting immunosuppressant monitoring for tacrolimus, cyclosporine, and antimetabolites increased by 4.1% ( p = 0.0013), 9.5% ( p = 0.0442), and 1.5% ( p = 0.0077), respectively. The clinical pharmacist performed 126 medication reconciliations, documented 259 outside laboratory values, and referred 9 patients to other providers.

CONCLUSION: Clinical pharmacist intervention resulted in an increased number of patients with solid organ transplant meeting minimum immunosuppressant monitoring recommendations.