Martha Marx

LEGISLATION INTRODUCED BY SENATOR MARX TO IMPROVE PATIENT OUTCOMES AFTER MEDICAL CARE STAYS PASSES PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE

Today, legislation initially introduced to the legislature by State Senator Martha Max (D-New London) to improve patient outcomes and reduce rehospitalization rates after patients leave hospitals and nursing home facilities passed the Public Health Committee. The bill would require hospitals and nursing facilities who discharge patients to secure and schedule necessary follow-up specialist appointments for those patients. They would also need to send patients’ medication lists to their pharmacies upon discharge./p>

“Patients who are well enough to leave hospital care or nursing facilities to recover at home aren’t done with their treatment,” said Sen. Marx. “They often need to follow up and see specialists and take prescription medication to assist their recovery. All too often, as a nurse myself, I’ve seen patients discharged and told they need to schedule their follow-up appointments within certain periods of time, but when they call to make those appointments, they can’t get appointments for weeks if not months. That can have a negative impact on their recovery; as just one example, they may not be able to receive prescriptions they need, which can send them back into acute care. By ensuring patients will have their continuing care available for them, we can prevent rehospitalization, improve patient outcomes and make life easier for those working to recover their health.”

Senate Bill 956, “An Act Requiring Discharge Standards Regarding Follow-Up Appointments And Prescription Medications For Patients Being Discharged From A Hospital Or Nursing Home Facility,” would require hospitals and facilities to develop standards for patient discharge, including scheduling follow-up appointments with medical specialists and ensuring necessary prescriptions are sent to their preferred pharmacies.

The bill would require a patient’s W-10 med list, for example, to be faxed to a patient’s pharmacy upon discharge, allowing a pharmacist to know how to reconcile their necessary medications. In another example, someone hospitalized for mental health issues and diagnosed with a condition requiring medication may be discharged with a limited supply of that medication and told to see a specialist, only to learn they cannot see a specialist before their medication supply will run out, which increases the chances that they will experience issues in recovery. The bill is intended to prevent these issues.

Sen. Marx developed this legislative concept alongside David Wu, the owner of Simply pharmacy and a registered pharmacist. In testimony submitted to the legislature, Wu said he has observed gaps in care due to current discharge standards, mentioning issues where patients may be prescribed medication requiring prior authorization or that they cannot afford; further, pharmacists may encounter challenges in clarifying medication orders with discharge teams. Implementing improved standards would likely improve adherence to doctors’ orders, aiding effective recovery, Wu said.