Preventing Hospital Readmissions
Improving patients’ safe transition from hospital to home is the goal of a model developed by Judith Kristeller, professor of pharmacy practice. Kristeller devised a method to improve communication and connect hospital pharmacists, community pharmacists and physicians. Using phone, fax and email, information is shared about patients being discharged from the hospital. Kristeller is in the second phase of a research study testing the model at Scranton’s Moses Taylor Hospital. The goal is to ensure patients are educated about their medications, receive follow-up care for medication-related problems and receive evidence-based management of acute and chronic conditions. The effort focuses on improving medication safety, preventing medication-related problems, and preventing hospital readmissions.
More than $150,000 in new grants from Cardinal Health Foundation and the Moses Taylor Foundation will allow the model to be used at a second site, the Regional Hospital of Scranton, where Dana Manning, an associate professor of pharmacy practice, maintains a clinical practice site. Both Moses Taylor Hospital and Regional Hospital of Scranton are affiliates of the Commonwealth Health network. Students in Wilkes’ Nesbitt School of Pharmacy will gain experience by working with the two faculty in developing and expanding the program at both clinical sites.