{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,21]],"date-time":"2026-08-21T11:40:33Z","timestamp":1787312433780,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":51,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,23]],"date-time":"2026-07-23T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1784764800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100003252","name":"Lund University","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100003252","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]},{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/012a77v79","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"name":"Doctor P H\u00e5kanssons Nursing home foundation"},{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/03e33dz42","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"name":"Kockska foundation"},{"name":"Primary Care Research and Development unit in the county of Sk\u00e5ne"},{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/00bn8y738","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"name":"Primary Care Sk\u00e5ne"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Pharmacy"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Older people are at increased risk of medication-related problems, which may be identified by clinical pharmacists during hospital medication reviews. Some problems are better managed in primary care, where follow-up is possible. Medication-related communication by pharmacists may improve information transfer in care transitions, but this practice remains uncommon in Sweden. This qualitative study explored clinical pharmacists\u2019 experiences and perceptions of writing referrals to primary care. Data were collected through four focus groups and three supplementary interviews with 19 clinical pharmacists from hospitals and primary care, and analysed using qualitative content analysis. Eleven participants had experience writing referrals, although none did so regularly. Four categories emerged: role of the pharmacist, current work procedures, pharmacist\u2013physician relationship and facilitating factors. Pharmacists believe they can contribute to patient safety through involvement in transitions of care. An overall concept of an underused competence permeated the categories. Referrals identifying medication-related problems are hindered by limited pharmacist integration into the healthcare team and limited continuity. Writing referrals was considered a new procedure requiring collaboration with unfamiliar partners. Organisational changes, including increased pharmacist continuity and clearer pharmacist roles, are needed to implement referral practices. Further research is needed to evaluate effects on medication treatment and patient outcomes.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/pharmacy14050109","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,23]],"date-time":"2026-07-23T06:11:42Z","timestamp":1784787102000},"page":"109","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["An Underused Competence: Clinical Pharmacists\u2019 Experiences of Writing Referrals in Transitions of Care"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4492-1894","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Katarina","family":"Wickman","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Center for Primary Health Care Research, Department of Clinical Sciences Malm\u00f6, Lund University, 202 13 Malm\u00f6, Sweden"},{"name":"University Clinic Primary Care Sk\u00e5ne, 223 81 Lund, Sweden"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7775-4482","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sara","family":"Modig","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center for Primary Health Care Research, Department of Clinical Sciences Malm\u00f6, Lund University, 202 13 Malm\u00f6, Sweden"},{"name":"University Clinic Primary Care Sk\u00e5ne, 223 81 Lund, Sweden"},{"name":"Department of Medicines Management and Informatics in Sk\u00e5ne County, 291 89 Kristianstad, Sweden"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0553-7432","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Cecilia","family":"Lenander","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center for Primary Health Care Research, Department of Clinical Sciences Malm\u00f6, Lund University, 202 13 Malm\u00f6, Sweden"},{"name":"Department of Medicines Management and Informatics in Sk\u00e5ne County, 291 89 Kristianstad, Sweden"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5296-3656","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Gabriella","family":"Caleres","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center for Primary Health Care Research, Department of Clinical Sciences Malm\u00f6, Lund University, 202 13 Malm\u00f6, Sweden"},{"name":"University Clinic Primary Care Sk\u00e5ne, 223 81 Lund, Sweden"},{"name":"Department of Medicines Management and Informatics in Sk\u00e5ne County, 291 89 Kristianstad, Sweden"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,23]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"National Board of Health and Welfare (2026, January 04). 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