Fewer Hospital Visits with Meds-to-Beds

When patients get discharged from the hospital, they often have to pick up their medications at the pharmacy. But what if the pharmacy came to them? A study looked at how this approach, called meds-to-beds, affects hospital readmissions.

The study focused on patients who were discharged between January 1 and July 30, 2022. Researchers compared two groups: those who received their medications through the meds-to-beds program and those who didn't. They found that patients in the meds-to-beds group had a lower rate of readmission to the hospital within 30 days.

In fact, only 13.3% of patients in the meds-to-beds group had a readmission within 30 days, compared to 27.1% of those who didn't receive their medications through the program. This difference was statistically significant, meaning it's unlikely due to chance.

The study also looked at readmissions within 7 days and 60 days. Patients in the meds-to-beds group had lower rates of readmission at both time points. Additionally, the meds-to-beds program generated revenue for the institution's outpatient pharmacy.

Overall, the study suggests that meds-to-beds programs may be an effective way to reduce hospital readmissions and generate revenue for hospitals. By delivering medications directly to patients, hospitals may be able to improve patient satisfaction and reduce the financial burden of readmissions.