Enhancing Timely Access to Medication Changes: The Role of Pharmacists in Overcoming Transitions of Care Challenges

NCT07018232 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 2411-102
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 104
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Objective: Among patients discharged from the hospital with changes in maintenance prescription medication, how does experiencing a medication access gap compared to a no medication access gap impact the time to first unplanned healthcare encounter? This is a retrospective, cohort study conducted at two hospital sites in rural Pennsylvania and New York State using encounter data from the electronic health record to analyze any patient discharged with medication changes from June 1, 2023 to May 31, 2024.

Conditions

Transitional Care

Keywords

pharmacist; medication access; hospital discharge

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Number of days to first unplanned healthcare encounter post-discharge

  The study will compare number of days between patients who had a medication gap and patients who had no medication gap

  90 days after discharge

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Number of days that a patient is without a prescribed medication post-discharge

  90 days after discharge

• Describe the types of drug-related problems and/or medication access barriers between the two groups

  90 days after discharge

Study Arms (2)

Medication Gap

A patient with a medication gap was defined as 1) having lapse in prescription coverage or any number of days where they were out of a maintenance prescription medication because the primary care provider did not send in a refill in time, and 2) having a medication access barrier, such as needing to contact the primary care provider to send in a refill for a maintenance prescription medication.

Behavioral: Unplanned healthcare encounter

No Medication Gap

A patient with no medication gap was defined as having zero days without a maintenance prescription medication because it was appropriately refilled by their primary care provider at a transitions of care follow-up appointment

Behavioral: Unplanned healthcare encounter

Interventions

Unplanned healthcare encounter BEHAVIORAL

Patient needing to connect with healthcare to fill a medication gap

Medication Gap; No Medication Gap

Eligibility Criteria

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

Study Population

Adult patients discharged from an acute care hospital with a change in their chronic prescription medication regimen

You may qualify if:

• Age 18 years and older
• Have a Guthrie primary care provider
• Discharged from the hospital to home or self-care (routine)
• Had a medication change on discharge based on a discharge summary and/or after visit summary (AVS) containing "start taking these medications", "continue these medications which have changed", and/or "stop taking these previous medications".

You may not qualify if:

• Age less than 18 years of age
• Do not have a Guthrie primary care provider
• Discharged from the hospital to anywhere besides home or self-care (routine) such as to rehabilitation, long-term care, left against medical advice, or transferred to another type of healthcare institution
• prescriptions on discharge that lack e-prescribing class
• prescriptions on discharge for day supplies less than 28 days
• prescriptions on discharge for day supplies greater than 45 days
• prescriptions on discharge with 1 or more refills provided
• prescriptions on discharge for as needed medications
• prescriptions on discharge for anti-infective agent
• prescriptions on discharge for short-term steroids
• prescriptions on discharge for nausea medication
• prescriptions on discharge for bowel regimen medication
• prescriptions on discharge for diabetic or medical supplies
• prescriptions on discharge for topical medications
• prescriptions on discharge for cough suppressants,

Sponsors & Collaborators

• The Guthrie Clinic: lead

Study Sites (1)

Robert Packer Hospital

Sayre, Pennsylvania, 18840, United States

Location

Study Officials

• Alison Van Dyke, PharmD

  The Guthrie Clinic

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: COHORT
• Time Perspective: RETROSPECTIVE
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 4, 2025
• First Posted: June 12, 2025
• Study Start: November 27, 2024
• Primary Completion: May 15, 2025
• Study Completion: May 15, 2025
• Last Updated: June 15, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-06

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)