Reducing medication errors for hospital inpatients with Parkinsonism

Health care utilization at the end of life in Parkinson's disease: a population-based register study

BACKGROUND

Knowledge of health care utilization at the end of life in Parkinson's disease (PD) is sparse. This study aims to investigate end of life health care utilization, characterized by emergency room (ER) visits, receipt of specialized palliative care (SPC), and acute hospital deaths in a Swedish population-based PD cohort.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study on deceased patients (≥ 18 years) with a PD diagnosis during their last year of life (n = 922), based on health care-provider data from Region Stockholm´s data warehouse, for the study period 2015-2021. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses tested associations and adjusted Odds ratios (aORs) were calculated.

RESULTS

During the last month of life, approx. half of the cohort had emergency room (ER) visits and risk of frailty (measured by Hospital Frailty Risk Score) significantly predicted these visits (aOR, 3.90 (2.75-5.55)). In total, 120 people (13%) received SPC during their last three months of life, which positively associated with risk for frailty, (aOR, 2.65 (1.43-4.94, p = 0.002). In total, 284 people (31%) died in acute hospital settings. Among community-dwellers, male gender and frailty were strongly associated with acute hospital deaths (aOR, 1.90 (1.15-3.13, p = 0.01) and 3.70 (1.96-6.98, p < 0.0001)).

CONCLUSIONS

Rates of ER visits at end of life and hospital deaths were relatively high in this population-based cohort. Considering a high disease burden, referral to SPC at end of life was relatively low. Sex-specific disparities in health care utilization are apparent. Identifying people with high risk for frailty could assist the planning of optimal end-of-life care for people with PD.

How to optimise medicines management for people with Parkinson's disease in hospital

RATIONALE AND KEY POINTS

Hospital admissions can be challenging for people with Parkinson's disease, in part because of the lack of understanding, among some healthcare professionals, of the importance of administering antiparkinsonian medicines on time. This article outlines the steps that nurses can take to optimise medicines management for people with Parkinson's disease who are admitted to hospital. • Pharmacotherapy is the primary treatment for Parkinson's disease and aims to increase dopamine levels in the brain to relieve symptoms. • People with Parkinson's disease require careful administration, titration, adjustment and monitoring of their antiparkinsonian medicines regimen, which is highly individualised. • It is crucial that people with Parkinson's disease take their antiparkinsonian medicines at exactly the right time, since the inaccurate timing of these medicines can have significant adverse health implications. REFLECTIVE ACTIVITY: 'How to' articles can help to update your practice and ensure it remains evidence-based. Apply this article to your practice. Reflect on and write a short account of: • How this article might improve your practice when undertaking medicines management for people with Parkinson's disease in hospital. • How you could use this information to educate nursing students or your colleagues on optimising medicines management for people with Parkinson's disease in hospital.

Improved Outcomes When Home-Dose Carbidopa-Levodopa Is Continued in the Geriatric Emergency Department in Patients With Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a debilitating condition that affects 1.8% of people 65 years of age and older. Patients with PD often require hospitalization and are frequently admitted through the emergency department (ED). Notably, their hospital durations tend to be lengthier compared with patients without PD. The primary outcome of this research was to compare the length of stay (LOS) of patients who received carbidopa-levodopa (CL) in the ED with those who did not. Secondary outcomes included 30-day-readmission rates and administration of injectable for agitation. In addition, the percentage of patients receiving CL before and after an information management technology (IMT) alert implementation was compared in a sub-analysis. Patients that received CL during their inpatient stay were identified by a database report in this retrospective study. Patients were excluded if they were not admitted through the ED, younger than 65 years of age, or admitted to the intensive care unit after the ED. There was a total of 266 in the control group and 217 patients in the intervention group. The intervention group had a significantly shorter LOS than the control group (3.29 vs 5.37 days; P = 0.002), significantly less frequent 30-day readmissions (P = 0.032), and used fewer injectables for agitation (P = 0.035). The sub-analysis of the IMT alert revealed that prior to the alert's implementation, 28.5% of patients received CL in the ED; whereas post-alert, this percentage increased to 91.4% (P < 0.001). The results of this study found that the group of PD patients who received CL in the ED had shorter LOS, lower 30-day readmissions, and used less injectables for agitation compared with the group that did not receive CL in the ED. This improvement is possibly due to continuity of CL supply considering its short half-life and clinical importance for PD.

Transdermal Rotigotine at End-of-Life for Parkinson's Disease: Association With Measures of Distress

BACKGROUND

End-of-life (EOL) care for Parkinson's disease (PD) can be challenging when oral medications are no longer tolerated.

MEASURES

To assess EOL prescribing for people with PD (PWP), focusing on rotigotine dosing and proxy measures of distress: benzodiazepine and opioid use.

INTERVENTION

A retrospective audit of patient records from PWP who died between January 2019 and May 2022 at the Royal Hobart Hospital (RHH), Australia, was conducted. Data was systematically collated on demographics, symptoms, levodopa equivalent daily dose (LEDD) and rotigotine, oral morphine equivalent (OME) and benzodiazepine doses in the last 72 hours of life .

OUTCOMES

Pain (72%), respiratory secretions (66%) and agitation (66%) were the most documented EOL symptoms. 83% (n = 52) of PWP were eligible for rotigotine and, of those, 13% (n = 7) received the correct dose, 38% (n = 20) a lower dose, 12% (n = 6) a higher dose and 37% (n = 19) did not receive any. Rotigotine dose was positively associated with total (P = 0.016) and PRN (P = 0.037) benzodiazepine dose. LEDD was positively associated with total benzodiazepine (P = 0.018) and total OME dose (P = 0.046). Contraindicated dopamine antagonists were prescribed for 43% of PWP and administered in 31% of those cases.

CONCLUSIONS

Rotigotine dose and admission LEDD were both associated with proxy measures of distress in the last 72 hours of life. This suggests cautious use of rotigotine at EOL. LEDD may help identify patients at risk of distress. Rates of inappropriate prescribing and symptom prevalence were high, indicating a need for further staff education to optimize the care of PWP.

Optimization of inpatient medication administration among persons with Parkinson's disease: recommendations on pharmacy technology and workflow

Individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) are vulnerable during hospitalizations due to the underlying complexities o1f symptoms, and acute illness or medication changes often lead to decompensation. Complications during hospitalizations are often due to worsening motor and nonmotor symptoms and commonly result from inaccurate medication regimens. Although the accuracy of medication administration relies on an interplay of factors, including patient status, transitions of care, coordination between the hospital prescriber and outpatient neurologist, etc., hospital pharmacists play an integral role in pharmacotherapy. The main aspects of pharmacy strategies aim to achieve timely administration of levodopa-containing medications, reduction of substitution and omissions of antiparkinsonian medications, and avoidance of antidopaminergic medications. This paper highlights critical areas for improvement and recommendations to minimize the impact of other factors from the pharmacy standpoint.

Reducing the receipt of contraindicated medications in patients with Parkinson disease

Background

The administration of antidopaminergic medications to patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) can exacerbate symptoms, and in the hospital setting, can lead to complications and increased length of stay. Despite efforts to improve medication administration through provider education and patient-centered interventions, the problem persists, with an estimated 21-43% of hospitalized PD patients receiving dopamine blocking medications.

Methods

In this study, a best practice alert (BPA) was developed that was triggered when an antidopaminergic medication was ordered in the Emergency Department or hospital for a patient with a diagnosis of PD in the EMR. The primary outcomes were receipt of a contraindicated medication, length of stay (LOS) and readmission within 30 days. These outcomes were compared between the 12 months prior to the intervention and the 12 months post intervention. Data were also collected on admitting diagnosis, admitting service, neurology involvement and patient demographics.

Results

For pre-intervention inpatient encounters, 18.3% involved the use of a contraindicated medication. This was reduced to 9.4% of all inpatient encounters for PD patients in the first 3 months post-intervention and remained lower at 13.3% for the full 12 months post-intervention. The overall rate of contraindicated medication use was low for ED visits at 4.7% pre-intervention and 5.7% post-intervention. Receipt of a contraindicated medication increased the risk of a longer length of stay, both before and after the intervention, but did not significantly affect 30-day readmission rate.

Conclusion

An EMR BPA decreased the use of contraindicated medications for PD patients in the hospital setting, especially in the first 3 months. Strategies are still needed to reduce alert fatigue in order to maintain initial improvements.

Evaluation of a co-designed Parkinson's awareness audio podcast for undergraduate nursing students in Northern Ireland

BACKGROUND

Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a common neurological condition that often causes stiffness, tremor and slow movement. People living with PD are likely to encounter nursing students throughout their journey from pre-diagnosis to death. Despite this, there is a paucity of evidence about current practice in PD education amongst nursing students. The present study provides an evaluation of a co-designed Parkinson's Awareness audio podcast amongst nursing students in Northern Ireland.

METHODS

Following co-design of an audio podcast about PD, a mixed methods evaluation was carried out. 332 student nurses completed pre-/post-test questionnaires about their knowledge and perceptions of PD before and after listening to the audio podcast. Further to this, 35 student nurses participated in focus-group interviews six months following listening to explore how the podcast influenced practice.

RESULTS

Student nurses posted a mean score of 52% before listening to the audio podcast. This mean increased to 80% post-test. These findings were statistically significant (p < 0.001), demonstrating significant increases in PD awareness after listening. Findings from the focus groups suggested that the audio podcast improved empathy and practice towards people with PD. The findings also suggested that students perceived audio podcasts to be a good way to learn about PD.

CONCLUSION

Provision of a co-designed audio podcast about PD has the potential to improve student nurse knowledge and practice related to PD as evidenced in this study.

Exploring public perceptions and awareness of Parkinson's disease: A scoping review

BACKGROUND

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurological disease affecting around 1% of people above sixty years old. It is characterised by both motor and non-motor symptoms including tremor, slow movement, unsteady gait, constipation and urinary incontinence. As the disease progresses, individuals living with the disease are likely to lose their independence and autonomy, subsequently affecting their quality of life. People with PD should be supported to live well within their communities but there has been limited research regarding what the public know about PD. This review aims to develop an understanding of how the public view people living with PD, which has the potential to aid the development of an educational resource for the future to improve public awareness and understanding of PD. The purpose of this scoping review is to review and synthesise the literature on the public perception and attitudes towards people living with PD and identify and describe key findings.

AIM

This scoping review aims to explore public perceptions and awareness of Parkinson's Disease among diverse populations, encompassing beliefs, knowledge, attitudes, and the broader societal context influencing these perceptions.

METHODS

A scoping review of the literature was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis extension for ScR (PRISMA-ScR). Four electronic databases were searched systematically (CINAHL Plus, Medline, PsycINFO and International Bibliography of the Social Sciences). The Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Tools (JBI) were used to assess the quality of primary studies, however, all relevant studies were considered regardless of their methodological quality. The 'Population-Concept-Context' framework was used in the screening process to identify eligible papers.

RESULTS

A total of 23 studies were included in the review representing global research in quantitative (n = 12) and mixed methods approaches (n = 11). All 23 studies adopted some aspect of cross-sectional design. Three themes emerged from the studies, the first being public knowledge of symptoms, causes and treatment of PD and this highlighted a lack of understanding about the disease. Secondly, the review identified public attitudes towards PD, highlighting the social consequences of the disease, including the association between PD and depression, isolation and loss of independence. Finally, the third theme highlighted that there was a paucity of educational resources available to help increase public understanding of PD.

CONCLUSION

Findings from this scoping review have indicated that public awareness of PD is a growing area of interest. To our knowledge, this is the first scoping review on this topic and review findings have indicated that public knowledge and attitudes towards PD vary internationally. The implications of this are that people with PD are more likely to be a marginalised group within their communities. Future research should focus on understanding the perception of the public from the perspective of people with PD, the development of interventions and awareness campaigns to promote public knowledge and attitude and further high-quality research to gauge public perceptions of PD.

End of life care of hospitalized patients with Parkinson disease: a retrospective analysis and brief review

Background

Towards the end of life (EOL), persons with parkinsonism (PwP) have complex needs and can present with unique palliative care (PC) challenges. There are no widely accepted guidelines to aid neurologists, hospitalists, or PC clinicians in managing the symptoms of PwP at EOL. We examined a population of PwP at EOL, aiming to describe trends of in-hospital management and utilization of PC services.

Methods

All PwP admitted to two hospitals during 2018 (N = 727) were examined retrospectively, assessing those who died in hospital or were discharged with hospice (EOL group, N = 35) and comparing them to the main cohort. Their demographics, clinical data, engagement of multidisciplinary and palliative services, code status changes, invasive care, frequency of admissions, and medication administration were assessed.

Results

Among the EOL group, 8 expired in hospital, and 27 were discharged to hospice. Forty-six percent of EOL patients received a PC consultation during their admission. The median interval from admission to death was 37 days. Seventy-seven percent had a full code status on admission. Compared to hospice patients, those who expired in hospital had higher rates of invasive procedures and intensive care unit transfers (41% vs. 75%, in both variables), and lower rates of PC involvement (52% vs. 25%). The transition of code status change for the EOL group from Full code to Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) occurred at a median 4-5 days from admission. For patients that passed in the hospital, the median days from transition of code status to death was 0(IQR 0-1). Levodopa dose deviations were frequent in both EOL and non-EOL group, but contraindicated medications were infrequently administered (11% in EOL group vs. 9% in non-EOL group).

Conclusion

Our data suggest a low utilization of PC services and delayed discussions of goals of care. More work is needed to raise awareness of inpatient teams managing PwP regarding the unique but common challenges facing PwP with advanced disease. A brief narrative review summarizing the suggested management of symptoms common to hospitalized PwP near EOL is provided.

Importance of timely administration of dopaminergic medications to improve Parkinson's patients' clinical outcomes

This article explores the challenges posed when ensuring the effective management of patients with Parkinson's in the secondary care setting. The evidence base around the appropriate timing and administration of medications is explored and highlights key themes in the literature to support best practice and raise clinical awareness. Failure to follow prescribed treatments for patients with Parkinson's can have significant implications for both patients and nursing care.

Establishing a framework for quality of inpatient care for Parkinson's disease: A study on inpatient medication administration

BACKGROUND

The complexity of antiparkinsonian medications makes patients vulnerable to medication deviations. This study examines the frequency and outcomes of deviations between outpatient and inpatient medication administrations in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD).

METHODS

We included hospital admissions of patients with PD during a 12-month period at the Cleveland Clinic Main and Fairview campuses. Outpatient regimens were compared with hospital medication administration records to establish rates of deviations in terms of levodopa equivalent daily dose (LEDD) difference, timing deviations/omissions of time-critical medications, substitution of levodopa compounds, and administration of antidopaminergic medications. Logistic regression analyses were used to investigate associations with length of stay (LOS), readmission rates, and mortality.

RESULTS

The study included 492 patients with 725 admissions. Of those on time-critical medications, 43% had a LEDD deviation and 19% had levodopa formulation substitutions. Of the admission days with known outpatient timing regimens, 47% had an average deviation of more than 30 min and 22% had at least one missed levodopa dose. LOS was longer with each additional day of over-dose (4%), under-dose (14%), missed dose (21%), timing deviation (15%) and substitution (19%), (all p < 0.0001). Administration of antidopaminergic medications (9.9% of admissions) was associated with increased 30-day readmission/death (OR 1.85, p = 0.041), 90-day mortality (OR 2.2, p = 0.018), and LOS (7.6 vs. 3.8 days, p < 0.0001). LEDD underdose was associated with 30-day readmission/death (OR 1.78, p = 0.025) and 90-day mortality (OR 1.14, CI 1.05-1.24, p = 0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

Deviations between outpatient and hospital regimens, and administration of antidopaminergic medications, were associated with poor outcomes.

Identifying rates and risk factors for medication errors during hospitalization in the Australian Parkinson's disease population: A 3-year, multi-center study

BACKGROUND

Admission to hospital introduces risks for people with Parkinson's disease in maintaining continuity of their highly individualized medication regimens, which increases their risk of medication errors. This is of particular concern as omitted medications and irregular dosing can cause an immediate increase in an individual's symptoms as well as other adverse outcomes such as swallowing difficulties, aspiration pneumonia, frozen gait and even potentially fatal neuroleptic malignant type syndrome.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the occurrence and identify factors that contribute to Parkinson's medication errors in Australian hospitals.

METHODS

A retrospective discharge diagnosis code search identified all admissions for people with Parkinson's disease to three tertiary metropolitan hospitals in South Australia, Australia over a 3-year period. Of the 405 case notes reviewed 351 admissions met our inclusion criteria.

RESULTS

Medication prescribing (30.5%) and administration (85%) errors during admission were extremely common, with the most frequent errors related to administration of levodopa preparations (83%). A higher levodopa equivalent dosage, patients with a modified swallowing status or nil by mouth order during admission, and patients who did not have a pharmacist led medication history within 24 hours of admission had significantly higher rates of medication errors.

CONCLUSIONS

This study identified 3 major independent factors that increased the risk of errors during medication management for people with Parkinson's disease during hospitalization. Thus, targeting these areas for preventative interventions have the greatest chance of producing a clinically meaningful impact on the number of hospital medication errors occurring in the Parkinson's population.