Continuity of Care: The impact of the pharmacist on continuity of care during transitions of care: A systematic review

Abstract Objective The purpose of this review is to evaluate programs who provide pharmacy-led continuity of care services and to assess their effectiveness in improving patient outcomes. Data Sources Three databases were used to conduct the article search and assess relevant articles including PubMed (Medline), CINHAL and Web of Science. Study Selection Articles that included prospective measurement of the impact which include a pharmacist in discharge planning and continuity of care following a hospitalization with defined clinical outcomes were included in the review. Articles were limited to those available in English, studies conducted within the United States, and studies including humans. Data Extraction Relevant articles from the full database collections prior to April of 2017. Results Readmission rates were the most common primary outcome evaluated. Other primary outcomes included medication adherence, medication error identification and reduction, and patient satisfaction. Although the data has shown that pharmacists play a crucial role by promoting medication adherence and providing effective medication reconciliation, this systematic review did not result in identifying any one single pharmacist intervention to be the most impactful in improving continuity of care. Conclusion There is both a need and an opportunity for research that supports best practices in providing continuity of care during transitions of care.