RecruitingNot ApplicableNCT07310199

Pharmacist-Led Transition of Care Program in the Emergency Department (Pharm TOC-ED): A Pilot Trial

Pharmacist-Led Transition of Care Program in the Emergency Department (Pharm TOC-ED): A Pilot Randomized, Parallel-Group, Open-Label Trial With Embedded Process Evaluation

Sponsor

Dr. Muhammad Abdul Hadi

Enrollment

82 participants

Start Date

Jan 19, 2026

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Conditions

Transitional Care

Summary

When patients leave the emergency department, mistakes with their medications are common and can lead to complications or hospital readmissions. Pharmacists are trained to help prevent these problems, but pharmacist-led transition of care services are not routinely provided in emergency departments. This study is a small pilot randomized controlled trial designed to see whether a pharmacist-led transition of care program can be carried out successfully in the emergency department at Al-Wakra Hospital. The study will help determine if a larger trial is feasible in the future. Patients who are being discharged home from the emergency department and meet the study criteria will be invited to participate. Those who agree will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: Usual care, or Usual care plus the pharmacist-led transition of care program The pharmacist-led program includes reviewing the discharge prescription, checking and updating the medication list, providing medication education, arranging follow-up with a pharmacist-run clinic, communicating with outpatient pharmacists, and following up with the patient after discharge. The pilot trial will help determine how many patients are eligible, how many agree to participate, how well the intervention can be delivered in the emergency department, and whether patients and staff find it acceptable. The results will be used to plan a larger study that will test whether this program can reduce healthcare use after discharge.

Eligibility

Min Age: 18 Years

Plain Language Summary

Simplified for easier understanding

This pilot randomized trial at Al-Wakra Hospital in Qatar tests whether a pharmacist-led program for patients being discharged from the emergency department — which includes reviewing prescriptions, updating medication lists, providing drug education, and arranging follow-up — can reduce medication errors and prevent unnecessary return visits to the hospital. Medication mistakes after emergency department discharge are common and can lead to complications or readmission. Adults aged 18 or older being discharged from the emergency department who are on five or more chronic medications, are starting a new high-risk medication (such as insulin or antipsychotics), or are being discharged after a flare-up of a chronic illness (such as asthma, diabetes, or heart failure) may be eligible. Participation involves meeting with a clinical pharmacist before leaving the ED and receiving a follow-up call after discharge. This summary was generated by AI to help patients understand the study in plain language.

This summary was AI-generated to explain the trial in plain language. It is not medical advice. Always discuss eligibility with your doctor before enrolling in a clinical trial.

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Interventions

BEHAVIORALMulti-faceted pharmacist-led transition of care (ToC) program

The pharmacist-led transition of care (ToC) intervention begins once a patient is deemed ready for ED discharge. ED pharmacists conduct a comprehensive discharge medication review, identify and resolve medication therapy problems, and document recommendations in the electronic health record (EHR). They perform discharge medication reconciliation, generate the best possible medication list, and correct any discrepancies. Pharmacists provide structured medication counseling using teach-back and address adherence barriers. Discharge planning includes scheduling post-discharge follow-up in a pharmacist-led medication therapy management clinic and delivering a standardized handover to ambulatory pharmacists. Patients receive two post-discharge follow-up visits within 7 and 14 days, during which pharmacists reassess medications, resolve new or ongoing issues, provide education, and coordinate additional care when needed. All activities follow standardized documentation procedures.