Evaluation of a Pharmacist-Led Intravenous Iron Therapy Transitions of Care Service in Heart Failure.

This article evaluates the impact of a pharmacist-led iron deficiency (ID) transitions of care service on patients with heart failure (HF) who received intravenous (IV) ferric gluconate during hospitalization. The study found that this pharmacist-led initiative significantly improved the rates of follow-up iron studies and hemoglobin measurements within six months post-discharge (83.7% vs. 28.3%) and increased the provision of IV iron maintenance doses in outpatient settings (80% vs. 14.3%) compared to usual care. The service involved coordinated outpatient pharmacist management under collaborative agreements with HF physicians to monitor and continue IV iron therapy. While the intervention enhanced adherence to care guidelines and ID treatment goals, some patients still declined maintenance therapy due to cost, adverse effects, or access barriers. The study was limited by its single-center, retrospective design and differences in patient populations between groups, indicating a need for further prospective research on clinical outcomes.