Pharmacist-Led SDoH Screening Intervention During Transitions of Care in an Acute Care Setting

NCT06802393 | Completed Results DMC

• 2 other identifiers: STUDY00007867K23HL153582
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 58
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The study is a quasi-experimental pilot study conducted at Buffalo General Medical Center (BGMC). It aims to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of a pharmacist-led intervention addressing health-related social needs (HRSN) during transitions of care in the emergency department. The intervention involves: 1) pharmacist led medication review, 2) screening patients using the Accountable Health Communities (AHC) HRSN tool, connecting them to local community-based organizations, and 3) conducting follow-up to assess outcomes. The study will recruit 150 patients (50 intervention and 100 control) and assess healthcare utilization metrics, including hospital readmissions and emergency department visits.

Conditions

Pharmacy; Medication Reconciliation; Health Related Social Needs (HRSN)

Keywords

health related social needs; pharmacists; hospital; emergency department; medication reconciliation

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Intervention Fidelity

  Recruitment Rates: The proportion of eligible patients who are approached and consented for the intervention.

  30 days

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Healthcare Utilization

  30 days post discharge

• Intervention Acceptability

  30-days post-discharge

• Rates of Unplanned Hospital Readmissions and Emergency Department Visits

  Up to 90 days post-discharge

Study Arms (1)

Intervention

EXPERIMENTAL

Intervention

Other: Intervention

Interventions

Intervention OTHER

The intervention incorporates a multifaceted pharmacist-led approach to addressing health-related social needs (HRSN) during transitions of care in the emergency department (ED) at Buffalo General Medical Center (BGMC). The intervention includes: 1) pharmacist-led medication reconciliation, and 2) HRSN screening using the Accountable Health Communities (AHC) HRSN tool. Based on the results, patients receive tailored referrals to community-based organizations using the 211 WNY database, which provides localized resources aligned with their social needs. Each patient is given a printed handout detailing the referral information. Within one month, a follow-up phone call is conducted to follow up with patients and assess additional needs as well as collect feedback through a patient satisfaction survey.

Intervention

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Age: Patients must be at least 18 years old.
• Status: Patients being seen at Buffalo General Medical Center (BGMC).

You may not qualify if:

• Cognitive Impairment: Patients who are cognitively impaired and unable to consent will be excluded.
• Non-English Speakers: Non-English speaking individuals are excluded due to the nature of the intervention requiring direct communication between the clinical pharmacist and participants

Sponsors & Collaborators

• State University of New York at Buffalo: lead
• National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Buffalo General Medical Center

Buffalo, New York, 14203, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Emergencies

Interventions

Methods

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Disease Attributes; Pathologic Processes; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Investigative Techniques

Limitations and Caveats

This study has several limitations. The use of convenience sampling may limit generalizability as patient flow and staffing patterns vary across ED pods. The study included only English-speaking patients, which may underestimate needs among individuals with limited English proficiency. Our modified screening tool did not include the interpersonal domain, which may have led to lower estimates of unmet needs in this area. This study also focused on operational and patient-reported outcomes and did

Results Point of Contact

• Title: David Jacobs, Associate Professor
• Organization: University at Buffalo

dmjacobs@buffalo.edu

716-829-2134

Publication Agreements

• PI is Sponsor Employee: No
• Restrictive Agreement: No

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NON RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor

Model Details: The intervention study employs a quasi-experimental pre-post design with a non-equivalent control group to evaluate the impact of a pharmacist-led health-related social needs (HRSN) screening and referral intervention in an acute care setting.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 23, 2025
• First Posted: January 31, 2025
• Study Start: October 1, 2024
• Primary Completion: July 15, 2025
• Study Completion: September 15, 2025
• Last Updated: September 24, 2026
• Results First Posted: September 24, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-08

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)