Medication-related problems cost healthcare more than $15 billion annually -- and about 70% are preventable. The solution often lies in a critical but overlooked moment: the transition of care.
At the recent American Society of Consultant Pharmacists Annual Conference, ActualMeds presented "Transition of Care - Medication Reconciliation: Then and Now." The presentation highlighted a stark reality. Medication-related issues account for 20% of hospital readmissions, with care transitions representing the highest-risk moments for patients.
The Readmission Crisis No One Is Solving
About 34 million hospitalizations occur in the U.S. each year. Five million result in readmissions. Skilled nursing facilities handle a significant portion of post-acute care transitions, making them critical intervention points. Traditional approaches fall short. Current processes miss medication risks, overlook home medications, and fail to provide timely clinical interventions. The result is preventable harm and wasted healthcare spending.
What Works: Pharmacist-Led Medication Reconciliation
ActualMeds data demonstrates measurable impact. One case study showed a 6% 30-day all-cause readmission rate compared to the national average of 21-22% for SNFs.
The ActualMeds Pharmacist on Demand program reveals the scope of medication risks. Among SNF patients reviewed, 80% had medication risks identified, averaging 1.3 recommendations per patient. Most concerning, 20% of identified risks involved missing home medications for serious chronic conditions like diabetes or heart disease.
These aren't minor oversights. These are the gaps that lead to readmissions, adverse events, and preventable complications.
High Engagement Points to Industry Need
Many expressed surprise at ActualMeds' ability to interoperate systems, operationalize data points, and assemble timely medication reconciliation outputs. The response validates what healthcare leaders already know. Clinical interventions at care transitions are the missing piece in value-based contracting models. What matters is getting actionable clinical recommendations to prescribers, care teams, and patients at the right moment.
Conference Trends Validate the ActualMeds Approach
The role of artificial intelligence in healthcare delivery was a hot topic at the conference. The AI discussion centered on a critical question: how can technology enhance clinical decision-making without replacing human expertise? ActualMeds' approach demonstrates the answer. The platform leverages AI for interoperability, process automation, and risk rule algorithms. But pharmacists lead the clinical interventions, ensuring recommendations are appropriate, timely, and actionable.
This combination closes care gaps before they become crises. It prevents medication errors that contribute to readmissions. It reduces wasteful spending on a manageable problem.
The Path Forward
Healthcare organizations face increasing pressure to demonstrate value. Yet many lack the infrastructure to effectively manage medication reconciliation at care transitions.
The solution requires three elements working in concert: technology that can interoperate with existing systems, clinical expertise from pharmacists who understand medications and care context, and processes that deliver recommendations to the right people at the right time.
Organizations that implement comprehensive transition of care medication reconciliation see results. Readmission rates drop. Medication errors decrease. Patient outcomes improve.
Moving Beyond Traditional Approaches Towards Action
Healthcare can no longer afford the costs of preventable readmissions. Patients deserve better than medication errors at vulnerable transition moments. Payers and providers need solutions that deliver measurable value.
Pharmacist-led medication reconciliation at care transitions represents a proven, scalable approach to a crisis-level problem. The ASCP Conference engagement demonstrated that healthcare leaders recognize both the urgency and the viability of this solution.
Ready to transform your approach to transition of care medication reconciliation? Learn more about ActualMeds' proven model at actualmeds.com or contact our team to discuss how pharmacist-led interventions can reduce readmissions and improve outcomes for your organization.