Pharmacist Post-Discharge Model Reduces Medication Errors

Novant Health, an integrated health system serving pa­tients in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia, includes 14 hospitals with 2,700 total beds, more than 450 outpatient lo­cations, and 1,100 physicians. In 2012, Novant had more than 3.7 million physician visits and 122,000 hospital admissions. A member of the Voluntary Hospital Association (VHA), Novant participated in a VHA research project that involved tracking and analyzing adverse drug events.

“The program has significantly reduced overall readmissions and those related to adverse drug events and has generated high levels of patient satisfaction.”

Results showed that many recently discharged Novant patients – particularly those on certain high-risk medications such as anticoagulants (blood thinners) and digoxin (used to treat congestive heart failure and atri­al fibrillation) – ended up being readmitted due to an adverse drug event triggered by a lack of patient understanding about his or her medication regimen. To address this problem, Novant leaders decided to develop an initiative focused on reducing ad­verse drug events and associated admissions and readmissions.

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