Interprofessional team perceptions of a pharmacist‐driven transitional care management program—A qualitative study

Abstract

AbstractPurposeTransitions of care is a growing area of focus for many institutions, as it is a key risk point during which medication errors can occur. Under the umbrella of transitions of care lies a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)‐recognized billable service known as transitional care management or TCM. TCM has been linked with decreased medication errors and 30‐day readmission rates compared with standard of care, particularly when a pharmacist is involved. As the latest evidence focuses on patient‐oriented outcomes data, it is imperative to pair that with key qualitative outcomes in order to describe TCM implementation in a complete and pragmatic manner within real‐world practice. Our aim was to evaluate interprofessional team member perceptions of the value of a clinical pharmacist in the TCM process.MethodsIn this qualitative study, we implemented a new clinical pharmacist‐led TCM process within three primary care practices, consisting of nine practice sites. The Pharmacist‐led TRansitions in Interprofessional PriMary CarE (PRIME) research group conducted focus groups to identify perceptions of the value of a clinical pharmacist in an effective TCM process. Three focus groups were conducted involving physicians, clinical staff, and clinical pharmacists. A qualitative thematic analysis was conducted to describe the results.ResultsThematic analysis revealed five themes: (1) high value for pharmacist accessibility and communication across levels of care, (2) leadership drives successful transitions, (3) medication‐related needs expertly managed, and (4) coordination of identified barriers, and (5) complimentary medical decision‐making.ConclusionsFocus group participants perceived that integrating clinical pharmacists in the TCM process led to more efficient offices, valuable visit preparation, coordination of identified barriers, and expert management of medication‐related needs. Primary care and geriatric practices should consider integrating clinical pharmacists into their TCM process as they are the vital members of the interprofessional health care team.