Measuring the Impact of Medication-Related Interventions on 30-Day Readmission Rates in a Skilled Nursing Facility.

BACKGROUND: There is a lack of published literature that measures the impact of transitional care pharmacist (TCP) medication-related interventions within the skilled nursing facility (SNF) setting.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the impact of TCP medication-related interventions on 30-day hospital readmissions among SNF patients compared to current standard of care.

METHODS: This was a retrospective pilot study. All patients included in the study were discharged from an inpatient facility to a SNF. The control group received transitional services from a care team with no pharmacist. The intervention group received transitional services from a care team plus a pharmacist.

RESULTS: The 30-day readmission rates in the intervention group were 14 (12%)/116 compared to the control group, 19 (16%)/116; however, the difference was not statistically significant ( P = .35). The median time to readmission was statistically significantly longer in the intervention group, 17.5 days, compared to the control group, 10 days ( P = .02). One hundred seventy-four medication-related interventions were performed in the intervention group during the study period.

CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that TCP interventions in an SNF are associated with a significant delay in readmission. A continuation of the pilot program may show a role in reducing all-cause 30-day readmission and ED visit rates.