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A pharmacy discharge plan for hospitalized elderly patients -- a randomized controlled trial . OBJECTIVES to investigate the effectiveness of a pharmacy discharge plan in elderly hospitalized patients . DESIGN randomized controlled trial . SUBJECTS AND SETTINGS we randomized patients aged 75 years and older on four or more medicines who had been discharged from three acute general and one long-stay hospital to a pharmacy intervention or usual care . INTERVENTIONS the hospital pharmacist developed discharge plans which gave details of medication and support required by the patient . A copy was given to the patient and to all relevant professionals and carers . This was followed by a domiciliary assessment by a community pharmacist . In the control group , patients were discharged from hospital following standard procedures that included a discharge letter to the general practitioner listing current medications . OUTCOMES the primary outcome was re-admission to hospital within 6 months . Secondary outcomes included the number of deaths , attendance at hospital outpatient clinics and general practice and proportion of days in hospital over the follow-up period , together with patients ' general well-being , satisfaction with the service and knowledge of and adherence to prescribed medication . RESULTS we recruited 362 patients , of whom 181 were randomized to each group . We collected hospital and general practice data on at least 91 and 72 % of patients respectively at each follow-up point and interviewed between 43 and 90 % of the study subjects . There were no significant differences between the groups in the proportion of patients re-admitted to hospital between baseline and 3 months or 3 and 6 months . There were no significant differences in any of the secondary outcomes . CONCLUSIONS we found no evidence to suggest that the co-ordinated hospital and community pharmacy care discharge plans in elderly patients in this study influence outcomes .
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Intervention_Other
pharmacy discharge plan
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Intervention_Other
pharmacy discharge
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Intervention_Other
hospital pharmacist developed discharge plans
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Intervention_Other
discharged from hospital following standard procedures
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Intervention_Other
community pharmacy care discharge plans
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Outcome_Other
effectiveness of a pharmacy discharge plan
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Outcome_Other
re-admission to hospital within 6 months
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Outcome_Mortality
number of deaths
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Outcome_Other
attendance at hospital outpatient clinics and general practice
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Outcome_Other
proportion of days in hospital over the follow-up period
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Outcome_Other
general well-being
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Outcome_Other
satisfaction with the service
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Outcome_Other
knowledge
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Outcome_Other
adherence to prescribed medication
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Outcome_Other
proportion of patients re-admitted to hospital
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Participant_Age
elderly patients
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Participant_Age
elderly
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Participant_Age
75 years and older
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Participant_Sample-size
362 patients
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Participant_Sample-size
181 were randomized to each group
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Participant_Sample-size
at least 91
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Participant_Sample-size
72 % of patients
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Participant_Sample-size
between 43
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Participant_Sample-size
90 % of the study subjects