PharMerica Launches Continue Care Transitional Care Management Program

Combines Pharmacy and Home-Based Primary Care Services for Residents Returning Home from Skilled Nursing Facilities

Today, PharMerica launched Continue Care Transitional Care Management Program to address gaps in care during residents’ transitions from skilled nursing facilities to home. These can be challenging times for residents due to trouble understanding discharge instructions and medication regimens, inadequate follow up and referrals, and lack of engagement on social needs, leading one in five of those discharged from an acute care setting to be readmitted to a hospital within 30 days.

Continue Care combines PharMerica’s pharmacy services with home-based primary care and nurse hub outreach services offered through BrightSpring Health Services’ family of providers to provide a safe transition home for medically complex residents, specifically those taking 8 to 12 medications or those with multiple chronic conditions or comorbidities. As these residents prepare to leave, Continue Care integrates seamlessly into a facility’s discharge planning process to extend care management into the home by offering:

• A 14-day supply of medications for residents to take with them when they leave plus up to an additional 30-day supply delivered to their home to improve access and adherence
• Weekly phone calls from a nurse starting with 48 hours of the resident’s return home
• An in-home visit from a nurse practitioner, where available, within 10 days to conduct a physical assessment and evaluate needs for skilled and unskilled care
• 24/7 nurse and pharmacist support for residents and their families

“Residents transitioning from a nursing home back to their home have very little support, and facilities lack the ability to affect care after they leave,” said Jeremy Colvin, PharMerica’s Senior Vice President, Growth and Market Development. “Yet, facilities are responsible for these residents for 30 days post-discharge and risk a financial impact if they return to a hospital. In 2019, the last year for which data is available, 73% of skilled nursing facilities received a penalty for their readmission rates.”

Home-based primary care is associated with a 50% reduction in hospital readmissions and a 20% reduction in emergency room visits. By combining home-based primary care and nurse hub outreach services offered through BrightSpring Health Services’ family of providers with PharMerica’s pharmacy services that reduce post-discharge complications arising from medications, the Continue Care Program:

• Improves clinical and quality outcomes
• Reduces rehospitalization rates
• Optimizes reimbursement
• Enhances reputation and referrals
• Lowers costs

“Improved health outcomes and reduced hospitalizations depend on three things – non-clinical support services, daily medication optimization, and clinical monitoring and interventions when required, which is what we provide as a combined company through Continue Care,” added Colvin. “This program is the first of its kind to take transitional care management to the next level to ensure residents returning home from a skilled nursing facility have the full spectrum of person-centered, hands-on interventions they need to stay healthy at home.”

All Continue Care services are provided at no cost to facilities or residents; residents are responsible for their regular copayment based on their pharmacy coverage.

For more information, visit www.PharMerica.com/ContinueCare.

About PharMerica

PharMerica is a leading provider of institutional, community- and home-based pharmacy services. The company serves the long-term care, senior living, hospital, home infusion, hospice, behavioral, specialty and oncology pharmacy markets. PharMerica operates over 160 long-term care, home infusion, and specialty pharmacies serving all 50 states. PharMerica is a customer- and patient-focused organization serving health care providers, such as skilled nursing facilities, senior living communities, and hospitals, as well as individuals with behavioral needs, individuals with infusion therapy needs, seniors receiving in-home care, and patients with cancer. The company provides highly reliable, accurate medication delivery and support services to approximately 350,000 individuals a day with unmatched service reliability, cost containment solutions, and clinical, regulatory, and educational support for its clients and their residents and patients. For more information, visit www.pharmerica.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

About BrightSpring Health Services

BrightSpring Health Services is a leading provider of complementary home- and community-based pharmacy and health services for complex populations in need of specialized and/or chronic care. Through the company’s pharmacy and provider services to seniors and specialty (including behavioral) populations, we provide comprehensive care and clinical services in 50 states to over 360,000 customers, clients and patients daily. The company’s services foster greater patient and family satisfaction, improve outcomes, and reduce health care system costs, and are supported by industry-leading quality outcomes. For more information, visit brightspringhealth.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

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