Other factors are at play, but researchers have found a correlation between hospital readmissions and "pharmacy density."
Hospital readmission rates are higher in Oregon communities with limited access to pharmacy services, according to a University of Oregon study.
Researchers compared Medicare readmission rates and what they called "pharmacy density" for hospitals in different primary care service areas. The sample included 507 pharmacies and 58 hospitals in 48 service areas.
Medication Reconciliation Slashes Readmissions
The authors suggest that community pharmacists can reduce readmission rates because they are able to "assess medication adherence, provide education, and offer self-care recommendations."
They cite previous research which found patients who received medication therapy management, including dose adjustments and self-care recommendations, were less likely to be readmitted.
Defining Density
Regions with fewer than 350 outpatient pharmacy hours, the total number of hours pharmacies were open, were defined as a low-density. Areas with more than 1,000 cumulative pharmacy hours were considered high-density.
All rural hospitals fell into the low-density range, while most urban hospitals were in high-density areas. People in low-density areas were older, had less education, and were more likely than residents of high-density areas to be "non-Hispanic white."
Readmission rates dropped as pharmacy density increased, reaching a rate of 14.7% in areas with high pharmacy density. Overall, hospital readmission rates in Oregon ranged from 13.5% to 16.5%.
The researcher note that they could not identify whether pharmacy access or population characteristics were independently associated with readmissions. But they called for more research, noting that hospitals in Maine, Michigan, and New York have opened outpatient pharmacies to improve access to care.
They conclude by noting that "further studies should be conducted to determine if, and in what circumstances, increasing medication access can reduce hospital readmissions."
The study was published in the Journal of the American Pharmacists Association.