Pharmacist Interventions Reduced COPD Readmission, ED Visits

Researchers from Aetna recently examined how pharmacist interventions impacted readmissions and outcomes among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to a presentation at the AMCP 2018 Annual Meeting

“The Hospital Readmission Reduction Program (HRRP) is a newly implemented transition of care program focused on outreaching members recently discharged from the hospital with diagnoses of congestive heart failure or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD),” Andrew Lester PharmD, Director of Pharmacy Medication Management Program at Aetna, and colleagues wrote.

In order to determine the effectiveness of pharmacist interventions on improved health outcomes for patients recently discharged with congestive heart failure or COPD, the researchers examined 23 health plan members with heart failure and 15 members with COPD. Study patients included members enrolled in the HRRP. The interventions studied included outreach by the pharmacists to the patients, provider, and case manager.

During the study period, pharmacists conducted outreach for 30 patients. Results showed that pharmacists connected with 14 members and 9 medication recommendations were accepted. Likewise, pharmacists connected with 5 provider and 11 case managers.

Study results showed that of the 22 members who had pharmacists intervention, only 4 members were readmitted within 30 days, and 2 members had an ED visits for study-related causes. The readmission rate for the study group was 18%, compared with 22.6% for average COPD patients in the HRRP program.

“Reporting from the Medicare Payment Advisory Committee (MedPAC) published in 2007 found that the readmission rates for congestive heart failure and COPD are 24.4% and 22.6%, respectively, for the Medicare population,” Dr Lester and colleagues concluded. “Results from initial enrollment in the HRRP program demonstrate a rate of combined readmissions, which is below this national estimate. The overall rate of ED visits remains low with two affected members from the outreached population.”

—David Costill

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