PGY1/PGY2 Pharmacy informatics Residency

Electronic Health Record Tools for Improving Patient Access to Prescriptions After Hospital Discharge

Wenfei Wei, PharmD; Rafael Felippi, PharmD, BCPS; Ghalib Abbasi, PharmD, MS, MBA; Theresa Pinn, R2; Kelly St. Rose; Isha Rana, PharmD

PURPOSE Assess the impact of electronic health record (EHR) interventions on patient access to post-hospital discharge prescriptions.

METHODS

Five interventions were implemented in the EHR to improve patient access to prescriptions after discharge from hospital: electronic prior authorization (EPA), alternative medication suggestions, order sets, mail order pharmacy alerts, and medication interchange instructions. Patient responses from discharges during six months before the first intervention implementation and six months after the last intervention implementation were documented in the EHR and a transition-in-care platform. Primary endpoint was the proportion of discharges with patient-reported issues that would have been prevented by the studied interventions out of number of discharges with at least one prescription.

RESULTS

Discharges with patient-reported issues that would have been prevented by the studied interventions out of 1,000 discharges with prescriptions decreased from 1.68 to 1.07 (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

interventions in the EHR reduce barriers faced by patients to picking up prescriptions post-discharge from hospital, potentially leading to improved patient satisfaction and improved health outcomes. Important factors to consider for EHR intervention implementation are workflow development and intrusiveness of clinical decision support. Similar implementations to the five studied interventions should be made to continuously improve patients’ access to prescriptions after discharge from hospital.

PGY1/PGY2 PHARMACY INFORMATICS RESIDENCY

Wenfei Wei, PharmD

Wenfei earned her PharmD from Texas A&M University College of Pharmacy in 2020. She is currently completing the second year of her 2-year Pharmacy informatics Residency at Houston Methodist Hospital. Following completion of her PGY2 residency, Wenfei will remain at Houston Methodist in a Pharmacy informatics Specialist role. Primary project preceptor: Isha Rana, PharmD

Presented at 2021 Virtual Vizient Pharmacy Network and 2022 Midwest Pharmacy Residents Conference.