Date of Award

5-2026

Document Type

Project

Degree Name

Master of Science in Health Services Administration

Department

Health Science and Human Ecology

First Reader/Committee Chair

Paulchris, Okpala. (Ph.D.)

Abstract

Thirty-day readmissions to hospitals creates significant clinical and financial burdens in healthcare systems and worsens patient outcomes. This project reviews transitional care programs as strategic interventions to minimize preventable readmission with a specific focus on pharmacist-led medication reconciliation. Due to the extensive literature review, this work proves that structured transitional care is effective in closing the gaps between acute hospital care and home-based recovery because it coordinates medication management, patient education, and follow-up care. As it has been shown, pharmacists are in a central position to minimize medication errors and enhance compliance, especially in chronic patients such as those with heart failure, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Nevertheless, effective implementation does not just need clinical interventions to focus on social determinants of health, such as socioeconomic barrier, heath literacy, and access to community resources. Transitional care is not an effective strategy because it has been proven to have certain challenges, such as a lack of proper training of providers, communication fragmentation and a lack of institutional support. The project ends by providing evidence-based suggestions to healthcare organizations: to improve interdisciplinary cooperation, use case management as a tool, use technology to monitor the patient at home, control social determinants by means of community partnerships, and implement supportive policies. Finally, medication reconciliation by pharmacists as part of an extensive transitional care initiative is a paradigm shift towards patient-centered care with a positive effect on safety, cost reduction, and healthcare system success.

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