Unintended discontinuation of medication following hospitalisation: a retrospective cohort study

Motivational interviewing to support medication adherence in older patients: Barriers and facilitators for implementing in hospital setting according to healthcare professionals

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to understand through Healthcare professionals' (HCPs) opinions the barriers and facilitators to implement MI in older hospitalized patients.

METHODS

A qualitative study with semi-structured interviews was performed among 23 HCPs involved in the medication management of older hospitalized patients (geriatricians, nurses, psychologists and pharmacists). A thematic analysis was conducted using a deductive approach through the Theoretical Domain Framework (TDF), and an inductive approach.

RESULTS

The thematic analysis reported 25 factors influencing MI implementation, mapped into 8 TDF themes, and including 13 facilitators, 8 barriers, and 4 both. The main factors identified were: 'cognitive and sensory disorders' (barrier), 'having dedicated time and HCPs' (facilitator and barrier), and the 'HCP's awareness about MI' (facilitator). Ten factors were identified as specific to the older population.

CONCLUSIONS

Implementing MI in a hospital setting with older patients presented both barriers and facilitators.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

To ensure successful MI implementation, it is important to take into account the older patients' context, the hospital environment, and the HCPs-related factors.

Economic evaluation of a collaborative model of pharmaceutical care in an Irish hospital: cost-utility analysis

Background: A complex, collaborative pharmaceutical care intervention including medication review and reconciliation demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in the prevalence of discharge medication error and improved quality of prescribing for hospitalised adults.  This study sought to assess the cost-effectiveness of this intervention. Methods: A cost-utility analysis was undertaken using a decision-analytic framework. The evaluation was undertaken from the Health Service Executive's perspective, the payer for primary and secondary care settings. Direct costs associated with managing hypothetical harm consequent to intercepted discharge medication error and consequences in terms of quality-adjusted life years loss were key input parameters. Analysis was structured within a decision tree model in Microsoft Excel® populated with consequences as utilities, estimated costs using macro- and micro-costing approaches, and event probabilities generated from the original study. Incremental analysis, one-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed. Results: The results of analysis for the base-care demonstrated that the intervention dominated standard care with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of -€36,537.24/quality-adjusted life year, indicating that the intervention is less costly and more effective. The one-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses both demonstrated that the intervention dominated standard care. The model was relatively robust to variation in input parameters through one-way sensitivity analysis. The cost of discharge medication error and effect parameters relating to standard care were most sensitive to change. Discussion: The analysis demonstrated the cost-effectiveness of a complex pharmaceutical intervention which will support decision-making regarding implementation. This is the first cost-utility analysis of a complex, collaborative pharmaceutical care intervention, adding to the scant evidence-base in the field.

‘Everyone should know what they’re on’: a qualitative study of attitudes towards and use of patient held lists of medicines among patients, carers and healthcare professionals in primary and secondary care settings in Ireland

Objectives

Managing multiple medicines can be challenging for patients with multimorbidity, who are at high risk of adverse outcomes, for example, hospitalisation. Patient-held medication lists (PHMLs) can contribute to patient safety and potentially reduce medication errors. The aims of this study are to investigate attitudes towards and use of PHMLs among healthcare professionals (HCPs), patients and carers.

Design

Qualitative study based on 39 semistructured telephone interviews.

Setting

Primary and secondary care settings in Ireland.

Participants

Twenty-one HCPs and 18 people taking medicines and caregivers.

Methods

Telephone interviews were conducted with HCPs, people taking multiple medicines (5+ medicines) and carers of people taking medicines who were purposively sampled via social media, patient groups and research collaborators. Interviews were transcribed and thematically analysed based on the Framework approach, with the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research and Theoretical Domains Framework.

Results

Three core themes emerged: (1) attitudes to PHML, (2) function and preferred features of PHML and (3) barriers and facilitators to future use of PHML. All participating (patients/carers and HCP) groups considered PHML beneficial for patients and HCPs (eg, empowering for patients and improved adherence). While PHML were used in a variety of situations such as emergencies, concerns about their accuracy were shared across all groups. HCPs and patients differed on the level of detail that should be included in PHML. HCPs’ time constraints, patients’ multiple medicines and cognitive impairments were reported barriers. Key facilitators included access to digital/compact lists and promotion of lists by appropriate HCPs.

Conclusions

Our findings provide insight into the factors that influence use of PHML. Lists were used in a variety of settings, but there were concerns about their accuracy. A range of list formats and encouragement from key HCPs could increase the use of PHML.

Physician Financial Incentives to Reduce Unplanned Hospital Readmissions: an Interrupted Time Series Analysis

BACKGROUND

In 2012, the Ministry of Health in British Columbia, Canada, introduced a $75 incentive payment that could be claimed by hospital physicians each time they produced a written post-discharge care plan for a complex patient at the time of hospital discharge.

OBJECTIVE

To examine whether physician financial payments incentivizing enhanced discharge planning reduce subsequent unplanned hospital readmissions.

DESIGN

Interrupted time series analysis of population-based hospitalization data.

PARTICIPANTS

Individuals with one or more eligible hospitalizations occurring in British Columbia between 2007 and 2017.

MAIN MEASURES

The proportion of index hospital discharges with subsequent unplanned hospital readmission within 30 days, as measured each month of the 11-year study interval. We used interrupted time series analysis to determine if readmission risk changed after introduction of the incentive payment policy.

KEY RESULTS

A total of 40,588 unplanned hospital readmissions occurred among 409,289 eligible index hospitalizations (crude 30-day readmission risk, 9.92%). Policy introduction was not associated with a significant step change (0.393%; 95CI, - 0.190 to 0.975%; p = 0.182) or change-in-trend (p = 0.317) in monthly readmission risk. Policy introduction was associated with significantly fewer prescription fills for potentially inappropriate medications among older patients, but no improvement in prescription fills for beta-blockers after cardiovascular hospitalization and no change in 30-day mortality. Incentive payment uptake was incomplete, rising from 6.4 to 23.5% of eligible hospitalizations between the first and last year of the post-policy interval.

CONCLUSION

The introduction of a physician incentive payment was not associated with meaningful changes in hospital readmission rate, perhaps in part because of incomplete uptake by physicians. Policymakers should consider these results when designing similar interventions elsewhere.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov ID, NCT03256734.

Assessment of an electronic patient record system on discharge prescribing errors in a Tertiary University Hospital

Background

Prescribing error represent a significant source of preventable harm to patients. Prescribing errors at discharge, including omission of pre-admission medications (PAM), are particularly harmful as they frequently propagate following discharge. This study assesses the impact of an educational intervention and introduction of an electronic patient record (EPR) in the same centre on omission of PAM at discharge using a pragmatic design. A survey of newly qualified doctors is used to contextualise findings.

Methods

Discharge prescriptions and discharge summaries were reviewed at discharge, and compared to admission medicine lists, using a paper-based chart system. Discrepancies were noted, using Health Information and Quality Authority guidelines for discharge prescribing. An educational intervention was conducted. Further review of discharge prescriptions and discharge summaries took place. Following introduction of an EPR, review of discharge summaries and discharge prescriptions was repeated. A survey was administered to recently qualified doctors (interns), and analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis.

Results

Omission of PAM as prescribed or discontinued items at discharge occurs frequently. An educational intervention did not significantly change prescribing error rates (U = 1255.5, p = 0.206). EPR introduction did significantly reduce omission of PAM on discharge prescribing (U = 694, p < 0.001), however there was also a reduction in the rate of deliberate discontinuation of PAM at discharge (U = 1237.5, p = 0.007). Survey results demonstrated that multiple sources are required to develop a discharge prescription. Time pressure, access to documentation and lack of admission medicine reconciliation are frequently cited causes of discharge prescribing error.

Conclusion

This study verified passive educational interventions alone do not improve discharge prescribing. Introduction of EPR improved discharge prescribing, but negatively impacted deliberate discontinuation of PAM at discharge. This is attributable to reduced access to key sources of information used in formulating discharge prescriptions, and separation of the discontinuation function from the prescribing function on the EPR discharge application.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12911-021-01551-5.

Multidisciplinary telephone conferences about medication therapy after discharge of older inpatients: a feasibility study

Background Studies have shown poor post-discharge implementation by the general practitioner of changes made to patients' medication during admission. Objective To assess the feasibility of conducting telephone conferences delivering information about changes in older patients' medications from hospital to general practitioners. Setting Two departments of geriatric medicine in a Danish routine healthcare setting. Method Older polypharmacy patients (≥ 65 years and ≥ 5 prescriptions) consecutively admitted were eligible for inclusion. Telephone conferences based on a review of these patient's medication therapy during hospital stay were arranged between a pharmacist and a geriatrician from the hospital, and a general practitioner. Interviews were conducted with pharmacists, geriatricians, and general practitioners about their perspectives on the feasibility of telephone conferences. Interviews were analyzed using systematic text condensation. Main outcome measure The proportion of telephone conferences conducted and perspectives on the feasibility of the study. Results A total of 113 patients were included and 82 patients (75%) were eligible for telephone conferences. A total of 40 (49%) telephone conferences were conducted. The main reasons for conferences not being conducted were general practitioners not wanting to participate or not returning the calls from the pharmacists. Three themes emerged from the qualitative analysis: considerations on planning and running the project, Barriers, facilitators, and implications of the telephone conference, and Actual and desirable cross-sectorial communication. Conclusion Telephone conferences were only possible for half of the patients. The participating general practitioners, pharmacists and geriatricians expressed varied benefit and agreed that telephone conferences were mainly relevant for complex patients.

Persistence with oral bisphosphonates and denosumab among older adults in primary care in Ireland

Gaps in pharmacological treatment for osteoporosis can reduce effectiveness. Among older adults, we found about half of new users of oral bisphosphonate and denosumab persisted with their treatment at 2 years, with few switching to alternative therapy. Persistence is suboptimal and warrants evaluation of interventions to improve this.

PURPOSE

Gaps in pharmacological treatment for osteoporosis can reduce effectiveness. This study aimed to estimate persistence rates for oral bisphosphonates and denosumab in older primary care patients and identify factors associated with discontinuation.

METHODS

Older patients newly prescribed oral bisphosphonates or denosumab during 2012-2017 were identified from 44 general practices (GP) in Ireland. Persistence without a coverage gap of >90 days was calculated for both medications from therapy initiation. Factors associated with time to discontinuation were explored using Cox regression analysis. Exposures included age group, osteoporosis diagnosis, fracture history, calcium/vitamin D prescription, number of other medications, health cover, dosing frequency (bisphosphonates) and previous bone-health medication (denosumab).

RESULTS

Of 41,901 patients, n=1569 were newly initiated on oral bisphosphonates and n=1615 on denosumab. Two-year persistence was 49.4% for oral bisphosphonates and 53.8% for denosumab and <10% were switched to other medication. Having state-funded health cover was associated with a lower hazard of discontinuation for both oral bisphosphonates (HR=0.49, 95% CI=0.36-0.66, p<0.01) and denosumab (HR=0.71, 95% CI=0.57-0.89, p<0.01). Older age group, number of medications and calcium/vitamin D prescription were also associated with better bisphosphonate persistence, while having osteoporosis diagnosed was associated with better denosumab persistence.

CONCLUSION

Persistence for osteoporosis medications is suboptimal. Of concern, few patients are switched to other bone-health treatments when denosumab is stopped which could increase fracture risk. Free access to GP services and medications may have resulted in better medication persistence in this cohort. Future research should explore prescribing choices in primary care osteoporosis management and evaluate cost-effectiveness of interventions for improving persistence.

Prescription Rates for Antiplatelet Therapy (APT) in Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) - What Benchmark are We Aiming at in Continuing Medical Education (CME)?

Physicians always aim to improve their patients' health. CME should be designed not only to provide knowledge transfer, but also to influence clinical decision-making and to close performance gaps. In aretrospective study we analysed prescription rates for APT in 254,932 CAD patients (male: 64.4%), treated in atotal of 3,405 practices in 2019 in aDMP in the region of North Rhine, Germany. Analyses were run for the whole study population stratified by sex as well as for subgroups of patients suffering from myocardial infarction/acute coronary syndrome, or who have been treated with percutaneous coronary intervention or bypass surgery. Patients mean age was 72.7 ± 11.2 years (mean ± 1SD), mean duration of DMP participation was 7.2 ± 4.7 years, and mean cumulative number of DMP visits was 27 ± 17. APT prescription rates were 85.0% in male and 78.8% in female CAD patients. In subgroups of male CAD patients APT prescription rates were between 89.7% and 92.8%, in the same subgroups of female CAD patients the corresponding rates were between 87.8% and 92.0%. Rates for amissing APT prescription per practice were between .0044% and .0062% for male and female CAD patients, respectively. Rates for amissing APT prescription per practice and DMP visit were .0002% for both sexes. These results suggest that a DMP can achieve high attainment rates for APT in CAD. To further improve attainment rates, consideration of absolute numbers of eligible patients per practice or physician is probably more appropriate than expression of performance as percentage values. This is especially true if attainment rates show substantial variations between subgroups, if subgroups show substantial variation in size, if attainment rates are already in the magnitude of 80% or higher, and if there are disparities in the evidence base underlying treatment recommendations related to subgroups.

Do interruptions to the continuity of methadone maintenance treatment in specialist addiction settings increase the risk of drug-related poisoning deaths? A retrospective cohort study

AIMS

To examine the risk of mortality associated with interruptions to the continuity of methadone maintenance treatment (MMT), including transfers between services, in opioid-dependent individuals attending specialist addiction services.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study using addiction services and primary care dispensing records, the National Methadone Register and National Drug-Related Death Index (NDRDI).

SETTING

Geographically defined population in Dublin, Ireland.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 2899 people prescribed and dispensed methadone in specialist addiction services between January 2010 and December 2015. There were five exposure groups: weeks 1-4 following transfer between treatment providers; weeks 1-4 out of treatment; weeks 5-52 out of treatment; weeks 1-4 of treatment initiation; and weeks 5+ of continuous treatment (reference category).

MEASUREMENTS

Primary outcome: drug-related poisoning (DRP) deaths. Secondary outcome: all-cause mortality (ACM). Mortality rates calculated by dividing number of deaths (DRP; ACM) in exposure groups by person-years exposure. Unadjusted and adjusted Poisson regression (covariates age, sex, incarceration, methadone dose and comorbidities) estimated differences in mortality rates.

FINDINGS

There were 154 ACM deaths, 55 (35.7%) identified as DRP deaths. No deaths were observed in the first month following transfer between treatment providers. The risk of DRP mortality was highest in weeks 1-4 out of treatment [adjusted relative risk (aRR = 4.04, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.43-11.43, P = 0.009] and weeks 1-4 of treatment initiation (ARR = 3.4, 95% CI = 1.2-9.64, P = 0.02). Similarly, risk of ACM was highest in weeks 1-4 out of treatment (ARR = 11.78, 95% CI = 7.73-17.94, P < 0.001), weeks 1-4 of treatment initiation (aRR = 5.11, 95% CI = 2.95-8.83, P < 0.001) and weeks 5-52 off treatment (aRR = 2.04, 95% CI = 1.2-3.47, P = 0.009).

CONCLUSIONS

Interruptions to the continuity of methadone maintenance treatment by treatment provider do not appear to be periods of risk for drug-related poisoning or all-cause mortality deaths. Risk of drug related poisoning and all-cause mortality deaths appears to be greatest during the first 4 weeks of treatment initiation/re-initiation and after treatment cessation.

Communication between primary and secondary care: deficits and danger

BACKGROUND

Timely and accurate communication between primary and secondary care is essential for delivering high-quality patient care.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to evaluate the content contained in both referral and response letters between primary and secondary care and measure this against the recommended national guidelines.

METHODS

Using an observational design, senior medical students and their general practice supervisors applied practice management software to identify 100 randomly selected adults, aged greater than 50 years, from a generated list of consults over a 2-year period (2013-2015). All data included in referral and response letters for these adults were examined and compared with the gold standard templates that were informed by international guidelines.

RESULTS

Data from 3293 referral letters and 2468 response letters from 68 general practices and 17 hospitals were analysed. The median time that had elapsed between a patient being referred and receiving a response letter was 4 weeks, ranging from 1 week for Emergency Department referral letters to 7 weeks for orthopaedic surgery referral letters. Referral letters included the reason for referral (98%), history of complaint (90%) and current medications (82%). Less commonly included were management prior to referral (65%) and medication allergies (57%). The majority of response letters included information on investigations (73%), results (70%) and follow-up plan (85%). Less commonly, response letters included medication changes (30%), medication lists (33%) and secondary diagnoses (13%).

CONCLUSIONS

Future research should be aimed at developing robust strategies to addressing communication gaps reported in this study.