# Integrating Pharmacists into an Automated Discharge Process to Promote Comprehensive Medication Management

> **NIH AHRQ R18** · UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA · 2022 · $470,173

## Abstract

Project Summary
Transitions of care (TOC) from the hospital to primary care setting presents a vulnerable period for the
occurrence of adverse drug events (ADEs) which can result in hospital readmission. ADEs are the most
common adverse event occurring post-discharge and are often preventable. Given their training and expertise
in medications, pharmacists can play a crucial role in improving the safety and quality of care delivered to
patients during TOC. When implemented in a consistent, high-fidelity manner, pharmacist-provided
comprehensive medication management (CMM) provided outside of the TOC process has been shown to
improve hospital readmission rates, clinical outcomes, and health system spending. What remains unknown is
how to effectively and efficiently integrate CMM services into TOC workflows in a primary care setting for
patients recently discharged from the hospital. Furthermore, the implementation of these processes in a
population with high social determinants of health (SDOH) which have significant barriers that may prevent
timely follow-up care is systematically understudied in the literature. This study uses an adapted Consolidated
Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) and the RE-AIM model to evaluate the implementation of
pharmacist-led CMM in a TOC. To facilitate communication between the hospital and primary care setting, this
workflow will utilize an automated electronic alert system (EAS) to notify sites of the need for CMM following a
hospital visit. Although studies have examined the effect of implementing an EAS on improvements in care
coordination with primary care providers, few studies have utilized EAS to delivery CMM. The research team
will conduct this study in collaboration with the Minnesota Federally Qualified Health Center Urban Health
Network (FUHN) which operates as the nation’s first safety-net Accountable Care Organization. Aim 1 will
identify facilitators and barriers to the implementation and adoption of CMM in a patient-centered TOC
workflow. This aim uses a formative evaluation approach to obtain the perspectives of pharmacists, providers,
clinic leadership, and care coordinators to uncover barriers and facilitators to the implementation of CMM into
TOC workflow. Aim 2 will evaluate the implementation outcomes of implementing CMM into a patient-centered
TOC workflow. This aim uses an observational study design with Medicaid claims and electronic health record
(EHR) information to examine the reach, adoption, implementation, and maintenance of CMM in TOC
employing the RE-AIM model. Aim 3 will focus on the efficacy component of the RE-AIM framework by
evaluating the safety and effectiveness outcomes of incorporating CMM into a patient-centered TOC workflow
by evaluating the impact of CMM delivery on hospital readmission rates using Medicaid claims data and EHR
information. Ultimately, the goal of this research is to generate key learnings that will facilitate the adoption and
sustainability of CMM...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10435446
- **Project number:** 5R18HS027754-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
- **Principal Investigator:** Joel F. Farley
- **Activity code:** R18 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** AHRQ
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $470,173
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-07-01 → 2024-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10435446

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10435446, Integrating Pharmacists into an Automated Discharge Process to Promote Comprehensive Medication Management (5R18HS027754-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-01 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10435446. Licensed CC0.

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