TRANSITIONS OF CARE

To encourage the pharmacy workforce to assume responsibility for medication-related aspects of ensuring the continuity of care as patients move from one care setting to another; further,

To encourage the development, optimization, and implementation of technologies that facilitate sharing of patient-care data across care settings and interprofessional care teams; further,

To advocate that health systems provide sufficient resources to support the important roles of the pharmacy workforce in supporting transitions of care; further,

To encourage payers to provide reimbursement for transitions of care services; further,

To encourage the development of strategies to address the gaps in continuity of pharmacist patient care services, including effective patient engagement.

Rationale

Continuity of patient care is a vital requirement in the appropriate use of medications. Changes in healthcare reimbursement have resulted in an increasing focus on transitions of care from the acute care environment to other settings (e.g., ambulatory care to inpatient care to home care or specialty settings). Pharmacy workforce engagement, as integral members of interprofessional care teams, is pivotal to support health systems focus on reducing readmissions, improving patient satisfaction, and effectively educating patients about their medications. It is important that ASHP advocate for improvements in technologies that facilitate sharing of patient information across various care settings. Further alignment of financial incentives and sufficient resource allocation that encourage and support patient care roles of the pharmacy workforce in the transition of care are also required.