Bridging hospital and community pharmacy at transition of care: Improving the management of drug-related problems at discharge through hospital pharmacy hotlines

Article Article scientifique Article Bridging hospital and community pharmacy at transition of care: Improving the management of drug-related problems at discharge through hospital pharmacy hotlines eng 2026-01-29 2026-04 author Garin Paul Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Western Switzerland, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; Pharmacy of the Eastern Vaud Hospitals, Rennaz, Switzerland. Electronic address: paul.garin@etu.unige.ch. 879592 author Boeni Fabienne Pharmaceutical Care Research Group, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Clinical Pharmacy, Institute of Hospital Pharmacy, Solothurner Spitäler AG, Olten, Switzerland. author Stämpfli Dominik Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Hospital Pharmacy, Kantonsspital Baden, Baden, Switzerland. author Galliker Susanne Pharmaceutical Care Research Group, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Clinical Pharmacy, Institute of Hospital Pharmacy, Solothurner Spitäler AG, Olten, Switzerland. author Christ Tanja Hospital Pharmacy, Kantonsspital Baden, Baden, Switzerland. author Bonnabry Pascal Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Western Switzerland, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; Pharmacy, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland. 21883 Section des sciences pharmaceutiques (FARMA) author Lampert Markus Pharmaceutical Care Research Group, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Clinical Pharmacy, Institute of Hospital Pharmacy, Solothurner Spitäler AG, Olten, Switzerland. author Blanc Anne-Laure Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Western Switzerland, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; Pharmacy of the Eastern Vaud Hospitals, Rennaz, Switzerland. 604230 601-605 10.1016/j.sapharm.2026.01.007 41622085 1551-7411 https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1551741126000082 Background: Hospital discharge is a critical step in transitions of care, exposing patients to adverse drug events. Community pharmacists play a key role in post-discharge medication management. However, they often face challenges clarifying hospital discharge prescriptions due to limited access to relevant information and communication gaps between hospital and ambulatory care. Objectives: This study aims to investigate how hospital pharmacy hotlines can improve communication and support community pharmacists in resolving drug-related problems (DRPs) on hospital discharge prescriptions. Methods: Pharmaceutical hotlines answered by hospital pharmacists were implemented in three regional hospitals. Community pharmacists could use the hotline when facing DRPs or to obtain additional information about the hospital discharge prescriptions. For each query, the rate of resolution without physician involvement and the type of DRP were documented. Satisfaction was assessed through online questionnaires at the end of the study. Results: The hotlines were implemented during 2 months in two hospitals and 6 months in the third. Community pharmacists raised 185 questions using the hotlines, 54 % of which were resolved without the need to contact the physician. The most common DRPs were unclear or incomplete prescriptions (n = 60, 32 %), medication unavailability (n = 29, 16 %), and drug-drug interactions (n = 22, 12 %). Of the 95 community pharmacies surveyed, 46 responded, with 87 % expressing satisfaction with the hospital pharmacy hotlines. Conclusion: The hospital pharmacy hotlines proved to be an effective tool to improve intraprofessional collaboration and support community pharmacists in managing hospital discharge prescriptions, with more than half of DRPs resolved without the need to contact the physician. Continuity of patient care Inappropriate prescribing Interdisciplinary communication Medication errors Patient discharge Pharmaceutical services Dewey 615 31 Section des sciences pharmaceutiques 17 false 887 Pharmacie hospitalière et clinique Research in social & administrative pharmacy 22 4 bd6de7f3-14e7-463c-a647-a2cfbb0ea130 Article (Published version) Public 1-s2.0-S1551741126000082-main_(3).pdf 448911 application/pdf CC BY-4.0 41236009bfb8bcc5a2e1f6250979956800c141c711244edad0a21204d26125aa openAccess Faculté des sciences / Section des sciences pharmaceutiques

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Bridging hospital and community pharmacy at transition of care: Improving the management of drug-related problems at discharge through hospital pharmacy hotlines	Research in social & administrative pharmacy	2026	1	0
Apotheken schätzen die Hotline für pharmazeutische Unterstützung	PharmaJournal	2025	30	1

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