Optimal Level of Liaison Pharmacist Intervention to Facilitate a Post‐Discharge Home Medicines Review

Abstract

ABSTRACTBackgroundInterventions by hospital liaison pharmacists make general practitioners aware that the hospital deems it appropriate for their patient to have a post‐discharge home medicines review.AimTo determine the frequency of patient referrals for a post‐discharge home medicines review by general practitioners using two less resource intensive models than that previously developed at the Royal Adelaide Hospital.MethodPatients were randomly assigned to either Group A or Group B. Group A patients were counselled about the benefits of an home medicines review and their general practitioner and community pharmacist were sent a medication discharge summary highlighting the hospital's suggestion for a postdischarge home medicines review (standard care). Group B patients received standard care plus their medication discharge summaries included reasons for why an home medicines review was recommended, the community pharmacist's contact details were provided, and a general practitioner appointment was also made via a practice nurse/receptionist.ResultsThe lower level of intervention in Group A patients resulted in a 7% home medicines review referral rate while a higher level of intervention in Group B patients resulted in a 53% home medicines review referral rate (p = 0.0052).ConclusionThe Group B model resulted in a significantly higher general practitioner referral rate when compared to ‘standard care'. A compromise in referral rates occurs if a less resource intensive model is used compared to the previously developed resource intensive model involving the liaison pharmacist.