Impact of ambulatory care pharmacist intervention on 30-day readmission rates in high-risk transitions-of-care patients.

Background: Care transitions are a challenging and crucial point for many high-risk patients; errors in medication use can result in preventable hospital readmissions, which worsen patient outcomes and result in decreased reimbursement and increased expenses for health systems. Transitions of care (TOC) is an opportunity where pharmacists in the outpatient setting can prevent medication errors and decrease hospital readmissions.

Objective: The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of pharmacist-conducted comprehensive medication reviews (CMRs) on 30-day hospital readmission rates.

Frequency of Adverse Event Monitoring in Ambulatory Patients on Amiodarone or Dofetilide.

Background: Published studies state that adherence to regular laboratory assessments for anti-arrhythmic drugs is as low as 20%. Monitoring adherence is important as other studies have shown that up to 93% of patients on amiodarone experience an adverse drug event leading to a potentially lethal event.

Objective: To determine whether patients prescribed amiodarone or dofetilide are being monitored according to package labeling and guideline recommendations for adverse events.

Revision and validation of Medication Adherence Reasons Scale (MAR-Scale).

Background: Medication non-adherence is a complex phenomenon that requires tailored interventions to improve it. A new self-reported measure of medication non-adherence was previously reported based on the commonly reported reasons underlying non-adherence with the intention to match the items in the scale with tailored interventions.

Objective: The objectives were to revise the original Medication Adherence Reasons Scale (MAR-Scale) based on expert opinion and cognitive interviewing, and establish the psychometric properties of the revised scale.