Impact of Pharmacy Student and Resident-Led Discharge Counseling on Heart Failure Patients

Purpose:Many health systems have implemented interventions to reduce the rate of heart failure readmissions. Pharmacists have the training and expertise to provide effective medication-related education. However, few studies have examined the impact of discharge education provided by pharmacy students and residents on patients hospitalized with heart failure exacerbations.Methods:This was a nonrandomized intervention study evaluating the impact of a pharmacy student and resident-led discharge counseling program on heart failure readmissions. The primary end point was the 30-day heart failure readmission rate. Secondary end points included self-reported patient understanding of medications, number of medication errors documented, and estimated associated cost avoidance.Results:A total of 86 and 94 patients were enrolled into the intervention and control groups, respectively. No statistically significant difference in readmission rates was detected between the intervention and the control groups. Thirty-fou...