Pharmacist-Led SDoH Screening Intervention During Transitions of Care in an Acute Care Setting

The study is a quasi-experimental pilot study conducted at Buffalo General Medical Center (BGMC). It aims to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of a pharmacist-led intervention addressing health-related social needs (HRSN) during transitions of care in the emergency department. The intervention involves: 1) pharmacist led medication review, 2) screening patients using the Accountable Health Communities (AHC) HRSN tool, connecting them to local community-based organizations, and 3) conducting follow-up to assess outcomes. The study will recruit 150 patients (50 intervention and 100 control) and assess healthcare utilization metrics, including hospital readmissions and emergency department visits.

Inclusion Criteria: Age: Patients must be at least 18 years old. Status: Patients being seen at Buffalo General Medical Center (BGMC). Discharge Plan: It is anticipated that the patient will be discharged home. Control Group: Patients in the control group will meet the same inclusion criteria as those in the intervention group, except they will not receive the health-related social needs (HRSN) screening. Exclusion Criteria: Cognitive Impairment: Patients who are cognitively impaired and unable to consent will be excluded. Non-English Speakers: Non-English speaking individuals are excluded due to the nature of the intervention requiring direct communication between the clinical pharmacist and participants