Feasibility of Using a Telemedicine Medication Delivery Unit for Older Adults

Care transition interventions have been successful in reducing medication-related problems and associated rehospitalization primarily by focusing on medication reconciliation conducted by trained healthcare professionals. Programs to improve the medication reconciliation process have largely been effective, but have limitations including the expense associated with recruiting, training, and retaining care transition healthcare professionals (e.g., nurses and nurse practitioners) the ability to provide services within a finite geographic area, and the retrospective nature of the reconciliation process which usually occurs in the home following hospital discharge. Our short-term objective is to use Pennsylvania Department of Aging resources to assess the feasibility of using a telemedicine medication delivery unit for frail older adults that require medication assistance in their home immediately following an acute hospitalization. As part of this feasibility assessment, the investigators will assess (1) recruitment process and procedures, (2) data collection procedures, (3) resource utilization, (4) drop-out rates, (5) acceptability and usability of the EMMA® telemedicine medication delivery unit, (6) medication adherence, and (7) medication-reconciliation errors during transition from hospital to home.