Training pharmacy residents as transitions of care specialists: a United States perspective

Abstract

Transitions of care has emerged as a point of vulnerability in global health care systems, which can lead to potential avoidable medical errors. In the United States, pharmacist-led transitions of care programs are increasing in number, with many hospitals offering discharge prescription services. However, the required training for these positions remains unclear. With the lack of accreditation standards by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists for transitions of care as a post-graduate year 2 specialty, this leads to the unanswered question: Which pharmacists are qualified for the growing number of transitions of care positions? Whether trained in a formal transitions of care specialty residency or not, pharmacists as a profession should reassess the proper qualifications needed to provide transitions of care services. One central message remains clear in that having a pharmacist on any interdisciplinary team who is knowledgeable about inpatient and community settings and administrative tasks involved in transitions of care while understanding optimal evidence-based recommendations would appear to be an important piece to the puzzle.