Pharmacist Involvement in a Community Paramedicine Team

Abstract

Background: Hospital readmissions have recently gained scrutiny by health systems as a result of their high costs of care and potential for financial penalty in hospital reimbursement. Mobile-integrated health and community paramedicine (MIH-CP) programs have expanded to serve patients at high risk of hospital readmission. Pharmacists have also improved clinical outcomes for patients during in-home visits. However, pharmacists working with a MIH-CP program have not been previously described. This project utilized a novel multidisciplinary Community Paramedicine Team (CPT) consisting of a pharmacist, paramedic, and social worker to target patients with heart failure at high risk of readmission to assist with coordination of care and education. Objectives: This article describes the development of the CPT, delineation of CPT member responsibilities, and outcomes from pilot visits. Methods: The CPT visited eligible patients in their homes to provide services. Patients with heart failure who were readmitted within 30 days were eligible for a home visit. Results: A total of 6 patients were seen during the pilot, and 2 additional patients were seen after the pilot. Conclusion: Imbedding a pharmacist into a CPT provides a unique expansion of pharmacy services and a novel approach to address hospital readmissions.