{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,20]],"date-time":"2026-08-20T09:25:49Z","timestamp":1787217949745,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":45,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,20]],"date-time":"2026-08-20T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1787184000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Swedish Dementia Foundation","award":["DF-1030928"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["DF-1030928"]}]},{"name":"Kockska Foundations"},{"name":"Dr H\u00e5kansson Foundation"},{"name":"Primary care research and development in Region Sk\u00e5ne"},{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/03sawy356","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Pharmacy"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The medication-related problems identified by clinical pharmacists during hospitalisation may be better addressed after patient discharge and recovery from acute illness. This approach enables follow-up and may reduce the risks associated with multiple medication changes. However, inadequate information transfer at discharge is a recognised patient safety risk. Referral-based communication between clinical pharmacists and general practitioners (GPs) is a novel procedure in southern Sweden. This retrospective observational study aimed to describe the patient population, medication-related problems, their clinical relevance, and resulting GP actions. Data were collected from pharmacist referrals and electronic medical records between Q4 2021 and Q4 2023. Medication-related problems were categorised, recommendations were assessed for clinical relevance, and follow-up within six months after discharge was analysed to determine whether GPs accepted the recommendations. Forty patients with 58 medication-related problems were included. Women accounted for 70% of the patients, the median age was 79.5 years, and 75% had extensive polypharmacy. Adherence problems were most common (22%). Overall, 98% of the recommendations were considered clinically relevant. Of the 48 assessable recommendations, 77% were implemented in primary care. No statistical association between clinical relevance and implementation was detected (odds ratio 2.27, p = 0.247, CI 0.57\u20139.04). Pharmacist referrals at discharge may support information transfer and provide clinically relevant recommendations that improve medication safety.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/pharmacy14050122","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,20]],"date-time":"2026-08-20T08:10:20Z","timestamp":1787213420000},"page":"122","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Safe Handover or Lost in Transition?\u2014A Retrospective Evaluation of Pharmacist Referrals to Primary Care Following Hospital Discharge"],"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\/0000-0003-0553-7432","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"}]},{"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"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,20]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"The National Board of Health and Welfare (Socialstyrelsen) (2017). 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