A Los Angeles-based Cedars-Sinai randomized clinical trial found pharmacist-led transitions-of-care interventions did not significantly reduce 30-day hospital or emergency department utilization among older adults, though certain high-risk patients saw benefit.
Here are four things to know from the study, published March 17 in JAMA Network Open:
- The study included 6,478 hospitalizations among adults age 55 years or older taking multiple or high-risk medications.
- Researchers found no significant difference in all-hospital utilization (26.4% vs 25.6%) or same-hospital utilization (19.5% vs 18.5%) between intervention and usual care groups.
- Among patients with low medication adherence and literacy, the intervention was associated with a 10.4 percentage point reduction in same-hospital utilization.
- The findings suggest pharmacist-led interventions may be more effective when targeted to high-risk subgroups rather than broadly applied.
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