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Lee S, Skains RM, Magidson PD, Qadoura N, Liu SW, Southerland LT. Enhancing healthcare access for an older population: The age-friendly emergency department. J Am Coll Emerg Physicians Open 2024; 5:e13182. [PMID: 38726466 PMCID: PMC11079440 DOI: 10.1002/emp2.13182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Healthcare systems face significant challenges in meeting the unique needs of older adults, particularly in the acute setting. Age-friendly healthcare is a comprehensive approach using the 4Ms framework-what matters, medications, mentation, and mobility-to ensure that healthcare settings are responsive to the needs of older patients. The Age-Friendly Emergency Department (AFED) is a crucial component of a holistic age-friendly health system. Our objective is to provide an overview of the AFED model, its core principles, and the benefits to older adults and healthcare clinicians. The AFED optimizes the delivery of emergency care by integrating age-specific considerations into various aspects of (1) ED physical infrastructure, (2) clinical care policies, and (3) care transitions. Physical infrastructure incorporates environmental modifications to enhance patient safety, including adequate lighting, nonslip flooring, and devices for sensory and ambulatory impairment. Clinical care policies address the physiological, cognitive, and psychosocial needs of older adults while preserving focus on emergency issues. Care transitions include communication and involving community partners and case management services. The AFED prioritizes collaboration between interdisciplinary team members (ED clinicians, geriatric specialists, nurses, physical/occupational therapists, and social workers). By adopting an age-friendly approach, EDs have the potential to improve patient-centered outcomes, reduce adverse events and hospitalizations, and enhance functional recovery. Moreover, healthcare clinicians benefit from the AFED model through increased satisfaction, multidisciplinary support, and enhanced training in geriatric care. Policymakers, healthcare administrators, and clinicians must collaborate to standardize guidelines, address barriers to AFEDs, and promote the adoption of age-friendly practices in the ED.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sangil Lee
- Department of Emergency MedicineUniversity of Iowa Carver College of MedicineIowa CityIowaUSA
| | - Rachel M. Skains
- University of Alabama at BirminghamBirminghamAlabamaUSA
- Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical CenterBirmingham VA Medical CenterBirminghamAlabamaUSA
| | | | - Nadine Qadoura
- Department of Emergency MedicineUniversity of Iowa Carver College of MedicineIowa CityIowaUSA
| | - Shan W. Liu
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
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Ruiz-Ramos J, Plaza-Diaz A, Roure-i-Nuez C, Fernández-Morató J, González-Bueno J, Barrera-Puigdollers MT, García-Peláez M, Rudi-Sola N, Blázquez-Andión M, San-Martin-Paniello C, Sampol-Mayol C, Juanes-Borrego A. Drug-Related Problems in Elderly Patients Attended to by Emergency Services. J Clin Med 2023; 13:3. [PMID: 38202010 PMCID: PMC10779430 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13010003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The progressive aging and comorbidities of the population have led to an increase in the number of patients with polypharmacy attended to in the emergency department. Drug-related problems (DRPs) have become a major cause of admission to these units, as well as a high rate of short-term readmissions. Anticoagulants, antibiotics, antidiabetics, and opioids have been shown to be the most common drugs involved in this issue. Inappropriate polypharmacy has been pointed out as one of the major causes of these emergency visits. Different ways of conducting chronic medication reviews at discharge, primary care coordination, and phone contact with patients at discharge have been shown to reduce new hospitalizations and new emergency room visits due to DRPs, and they are key elements for improving the quality of care provided by emergency services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús Ruiz-Ramos
- Pharmacy Department, Hospital Santa Creu i Sant Pau, 08025 Barcelona, Spain; (A.P.-D.); (A.J.-B.)
- Department of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Sant Pau (IR SANT PAU), 08041 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Adrián Plaza-Diaz
- Pharmacy Department, Hospital Santa Creu i Sant Pau, 08025 Barcelona, Spain; (A.P.-D.); (A.J.-B.)
- Department of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Sant Pau (IR SANT PAU), 08041 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Cristina Roure-i-Nuez
- Pharmacy Department, Consorci Sanitari de Terrassa, 08227 Terrassa, Spain; (C.R.-i.-N.); (J.F.-M.)
| | - Jordi Fernández-Morató
- Pharmacy Department, Consorci Sanitari de Terrassa, 08227 Terrassa, Spain; (C.R.-i.-N.); (J.F.-M.)
| | - Javier González-Bueno
- Pharmacy Department, Hospital Dos de Maig Consorci Sanitari Integral, 08025 Barcelona, Spain; (J.G.-B.); (M.T.B.-P.)
- Central Catalonia Chronicity Research Group (C3RG), Universitat de Vic-Universitat Central de Catalunya, 08500 Vic, Spain
| | | | - Milagros García-Peláez
- Pharmacy Department, Hospital General de Granollers, 08402 Granollers, Spain; (M.G.-P.); (N.R.-S.)
| | - Nuria Rudi-Sola
- Pharmacy Department, Hospital General de Granollers, 08402 Granollers, Spain; (M.G.-P.); (N.R.-S.)
| | - Marta Blázquez-Andión
- Institut de Recerca Sant Pau (IR SANT PAU), 08041 Barcelona, Spain;
- Emergency Department, Hospital Santa Creu i Sant Pau, 08025 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carla San-Martin-Paniello
- Strategy and Innovation Office (Més Sant Pau), Hospital Santa Creu i Sant Pau, 08025 Barcelona, Spain; (C.S.-M.-P.); (C.S.-M.)
| | - Caterina Sampol-Mayol
- Strategy and Innovation Office (Més Sant Pau), Hospital Santa Creu i Sant Pau, 08025 Barcelona, Spain; (C.S.-M.-P.); (C.S.-M.)
| | - Ana Juanes-Borrego
- Pharmacy Department, Hospital Santa Creu i Sant Pau, 08025 Barcelona, Spain; (A.P.-D.); (A.J.-B.)
- Institut de Recerca Sant Pau (IR SANT PAU), 08041 Barcelona, Spain;
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Jones A, Watt JA, Maclagan LC, Swayze S, Jaakkimainen L, Schull MJ, Bronskill SE. Factors associated with recurrent emergency department visits among people living with dementia: A retrospective cohort study. J Am Geriatr Soc 2023; 71:3731-3743. [PMID: 37314108 DOI: 10.1111/jgs.18457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Research on factors associated with recurrent emergency department (ED) visits and their implications for improving dementia care is lacking. The objective of this study was to examine associations between the individual characteristics of older adults living with dementia and recurrent ED visits. METHODS We used health administrative databases to conduct a population-based retrospective cohort study among older adults with dementia in Ontario, Canada. We included community-dwelling adults 66 years and older who visited the ED between April 1, 2010, and March 31, 2019 and were discharged home. We recorded all ED visits within one year after the baseline visit. We used recurrent event Cox regression to examine associations between repeat ED visits and individual clinical, demographic, and health service use characteristics. We fit conditional inference trees to identify the most important factors and define subgroups of varying risk. RESULTS Our cohort included 175,863 older adults with dementia. ED use in the year prior to baseline had the strongest association with recurrent visits (3+ vs.0 adjusted hazard ratio (aHR): 1.92 (1.89, 1.94), 2vs.0 aHR: 1.45 (1.43, 1.47), 1vs.0 aHR: 1.23 (1.21, 1.24)). The conditional inference tree utilized history of ED visits and comorbidity count to define 12 subgroups with ED revisit rates ranging from 0.79 to 7.27 per year. Older adults in higher risk groups were more likely to live in rural and low-income areas and had higher use of anticonvulsants, antipsychotics, and benzodiazepines. CONCLUSIONS History of ED visits may be a useful measure to identify older adults with dementia who would benefit from additional interventions and supports. A substantial proportion of older adults with dementia have a pattern of recurrent visits and may benefit from dementia-friendly and geriatric-focused EDs. Collaborative medication review in the ED and closer follow-up and engagement with community supports could improve patient care and experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Jones
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- ICES, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jennifer A Watt
- ICES, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Health Policy, Management & Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | | | - Liisa Jaakkimainen
- ICES, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Health Policy, Management & Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Michael J Schull
- ICES, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Health Policy, Management & Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Susan E Bronskill
- ICES, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Health Policy, Management & Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Women's College Research Institute, Women's College Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Goldberg EM, Dresden SM, Carpenter CR. Clin-STAR corner: Practice changing advances in prescribing for geriatric emergency department patients. J Am Geriatr Soc 2023; 71:3686-3691. [PMID: 37801018 DOI: 10.1111/jgs.18619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
Reducing adverse drug events among older adults in heterogeneous and often chaotic emergency department (ED) settings requires a multidisciplinary approach. Recent research evaluates the impact of multicomponent protocols designed to reduce ED physician prescribing of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs), including transdisciplinary training and leveraging electronic health records to provide real-time alternative safer pharmaceuticals while providing personalized feedback to prescribers. Most new research is not randomized trial data. Although this current research does not consistently demonstrate a reduction in the prescribing of PIMs, these studies provide a foundation for emergency medicine healthcare teams, geriatricians, and pharmacists to collaborate with health informatics to continue advancing the frontiers of safer medication prescribing during episodes of acute care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth M Goldberg
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Scott M Dresden
- School of Medicine Department of Emergency Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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van Nuland M, Butterhoff M, Verwijmeren K, Berger F, Hogervorst VM, de Jonghe A, van der Linden PD. Assessment of drug-related problems at the emergency department in older patients living with frailty: pharmacist-led medication reviews within a geriatric care team. BMC Geriatr 2023; 23:215. [PMID: 37016324 PMCID: PMC10074685 DOI: 10.1186/s12877-023-03942-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Older patients are vulnerable to experiencing drug related problems (DRPs), which may result in emergency department (ED) visits. However, it is not standard practice to conduct medications reviews during ED visit. The aim of this study was to assess the number of DRPs in older patients living with frailty at the ED, identified through pharmacist-led medication reviews within a geriatric care team, and to determine the acceptance rate of pharmacists' recommendations among hospital physicians and general practitioners or elderly care specialists. METHODS A retrospective observational study was performed in patients ≥ 70 years living with frailty at the ED at Tergooi Medical Center. Pharmacist-led medication reviews were conducted to identify and classify DRPs as part of a larger geriatric assessment. The acceptance rate of given recommendations was determined during follow-up. RESULTS A total of 356 ED visits were included. The mean (standard deviation, SD) age of patients was 83 (6.8) years. About 76% of patients had at least one DRP. In total, 548 DRPs were identified with a mean of 1.5 DRP (SD 1.3) per patient. The acceptance rate of medication recommendations in admitted patients was 55%, and 32% among general practitioners/elderly care specialists in discharged patients. CONCLUSIONS Pharmacist-led medication reviews as part of a geriatric care team identified DRPs in 76% of older patients living with frailty at the ED. The acceptance rate was substantially higher in admitted patients compared to discharged patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merel van Nuland
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Tergooi Medical Center, Van Riebeeckweg 212, 1213 XZ, Hilversum, the Netherlands.
| | - Madelon Butterhoff
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Tergooi Medical Center, Van Riebeeckweg 212, 1213 XZ, Hilversum, the Netherlands
| | - Karin Verwijmeren
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Tergooi Medical Center, Van Riebeeckweg 212, 1213 XZ, Hilversum, the Netherlands
| | - Florine Berger
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Tergooi Medical Center, Van Riebeeckweg 212, 1213 XZ, Hilversum, the Netherlands
| | | | | | - Paul D van der Linden
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Tergooi Medical Center, Van Riebeeckweg 212, 1213 XZ, Hilversum, the Netherlands
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Rahman RN, Nikolik B, de Ridder MAJ, Hoek AE, Janssen MJA, Schuit SCE, Karapinar-Çarkit F, van den Bemt PMLA. The effect of emergency department pharmacists on drug overuse and drug underuse in patients with an ADE-related hospitalisation: a controlled intervention study. BMC Health Serv Res 2022; 22:1363. [PMID: 36397102 PMCID: PMC9670389 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-022-08696-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Drug overuse or drug underuse are the most common causes of adverse drug events and can lead to hospital admissions. Using clinical pharmacists in the emergency department may improve patient safety as they are specialised in recognising of adverse drug events and tackling drug overuse and drug underuse. This study tested the effect of an emergency department pharmacist on the number of medication changes for drug overuse and drug underuse taking place in patients with an adverse drug event-related hospitalisation following an emergency department visit. Methods A multicenter prospective non-randomized controlled intervention study was conducted in a university hospital and a general teaching hospital. Trained emergency department pharmacists included patients in the intervention group with a hospital admission related to an adverse drug event. The interdisciplinary intervention consisted of a pharmacist-led medication review, patient counselling regarding medication, and information transmission to general practitioners and community pharmacies after discharge. The control patients were also admitted after an emergency department visit and received the usual care. The primary outcome was the number of medication changes for drug overuse and drug underuse that took place during hospital admission and persisted 6 months thereafter. Poisson regression analysis was used to estimate the difference in these medication changes between the intervention group and the control group. Results A total of 216 patients were included (intervention group 104, control group 112). In the intervention group, 156 medication changes for drug overuse and drug underuse persisted 6 months after admission compared to 59 in the control group (adjusted rate ratio 1.22 [95%CI 1.01-1.49] p = 0.039). Conclusion Emergency department pharmacists do contribute to reduction of drug overuse and drug underuse of medication in patients with a hospitalisation related to adverse drug events after an emergency department visit.
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Nymoen LD, Flatebø TE, Moger TA, Øie E, Molden E, Viktil KK. Impact of systematic medication review in emergency department on patients’ post-discharge outcomes—A randomized controlled clinical trial. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0274907. [PMID: 36121830 PMCID: PMC9484649 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0274907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction The main objective of this study was to investigate whether systematic medication review conducted by clinical pharmacists can impact clinical outcomes and post-discharge outcomes for patients admitted to the emergency department. Method This parallel group, non-blinded, randomized controlled trial was conducted in the emergency department, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway. The study was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov, Identifier: NCT03123640 in April 2017. From April 2017 to May 2018, patients ≥18 years were included and randomized (1:1) to intervention- or control group. The control group received standard care from emergency department physicians and nurses. In addition to standard care, the intervention group received systematic medication review including medication reconciliation conducted by pharmacists, during the emergency department stay. The primary outcome was proportion of patients with an unplanned contact with hospital within 12 months from inclusion stay discharge. Results In total, 807 patients were included and randomized, 1:1, to intervention or control group. After excluding 8 patients dying during hospital stay and 10 patients lacking Norwegian personal identification number, the primary analysis comprised 789 patients: 394 intervention group patients and 395 control group patients. Regarding the primary outcome, there was no significant difference in proportion of patients with an unplanned contact with hospital within 12 months after inclusion stay discharge between groups (51.0% of intervention group patients vs. 53.2% of control group patients, p = 0.546). Conclusion As currently designed, emergency department pharmacist-led medication review did not significantly influence clinical- or post-discharge outcomes. This study did, however pinpoint important practical implementations, which can be used to design tailored pharmacist-led interventions and workflow regarding drug-related issues in the emergency department setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisbeth Damlien Nymoen
- Diakonhjemmet Hospital Pharmacy AS, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- * E-mail:
| | | | - Tron Anders Moger
- Department of Health Management and Health Economics, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Erik Øie
- Department of Internal Medicine, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Espen Molden
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Psychopharmacology, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Kirsten Kilvik Viktil
- Diakonhjemmet Hospital Pharmacy AS, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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Fischer H, Hahn EE, Li BH, Munoz-Plaza CE, Luong TQ, Harrison TN, Slezak JM, Sim JJ, Mittman BS, Lee EA, Singh H, Kanter MH, Reynolds K, Danforth KN. Potentially Harmful Medication Dispenses After a Fall or Hip Fracture: A Mixed Methods Study of a Commonly Used Quality Measure. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf 2022; 48:222-232. [PMID: 35190249 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcjq.2022.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND High-risk medication dispenses to patients with a prior fall or hip fracture represent a potentially dangerous disease-drug interaction among older adults. The research team quantified the prevalence, identified risk factors, and generated patient and provider insights into high-risk medication dispenses in a large, community-based integrated health system using a commonly used quality measure. METHODS This was a mixed methods study with a convergent design combining a retrospective cohort study using electronic health record (EHR) data, individual interviews of primary care physicians, and a focus group of patient advisors. RESULTS Of 113,809 patients ≥ 65 years with a fall/fracture in 2009-2015, 35.4% had a potentially harmful medication dispensed after their fall/fracture. Most medications were prescribed by primary care providers. Older age, male gender, and race/ethnicity other than non-Hispanic White were associated with a reduced risk of high-risk medication dispenses. Patients with a pre-fall/fracture medication dispense were substantially more likely to have a post-fall/fracture medication dispense (hazard ratio [HR] = 13.26, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 12.91-13.61). Both patients and providers noted that providers may be unaware of patient falls due to inconsistent assessments and patient reluctance to disclose falls. Providers also noted the lack of a standard location to document falls and limited decision support alerts within the EHR. CONCLUSION High-risk medication dispenses are common among older patients with a history of falls/fractures. Future interventions should explore improved assessment and documentation of falls, decision support, clinician training strategies, patient educational resources, building trusting patient-clinician relationships to facilitate long-term medication discontinuation among persistent medication users, and a focus on fall prevention.
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Duncan R, Cheng L, Law MR, Shojania K, De Vera MA, Harrison M. The impact of introducing multidisciplinary care assessments on access to rheumatology care in British Columbia: an interrupted time series analysis. BMC Health Serv Res 2022; 22:327. [PMID: 35277162 PMCID: PMC8915460 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-022-07715-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In 2011 the British Columbia (BC) Ministry of Health introduced a new fee-for-service billing code that allowed “Multidisciplinary Care Assessment” (MCA). This change has the potential to change access to and quality of care for patients. This study aimed to explore the impact on access to rheumatology services in the province. Methods Fee-for-service rheumatology billings were evaluated for each rheumatologist 2 years before and after use of the MCA code. Numbers of 1) unique patients and 2) services provided per month were used as proxy measures of access to care. A multiple-baseline interrupted time series model assessed the impact of the MCA on levels and trends of the access outcomes. Results Our analysis consisted of 82,360 patients cared for by 26 rheumatologists who billed for an MCA. In our primary analysis we observed a sustained increase in the mean number of unique patients of 4.9% (95% CI: 0.0% to 9.9%, p = 0.049) and the mean number of services of 7.1% (95% CI: 1.0% to 13.6%, (p = 0.021), per month provided by a rheumatologist, corresponding to the initial use of MCA. Conclusion The introduction of the MCA code was associated with an initial increase in the measures of access, which was maintained but did not increase over time. Our study suggests that the use of Multidisciplinary Care Assessment can contribute to expanding and/or sustaining access to care for people with complex chronic conditions, like rheumatic diseases. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12913-022-07715-x.
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Celikkayalar E, Puustinen J, Palmgren J, Airaksinen M. Collaborative Medication Reviews to Identify Inappropriate Prescribing in Pre-Admission Medications at Emergency Department Short-Term Ward. INTEGRATED PHARMACY RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2021; 10:23-32. [PMID: 33912437 PMCID: PMC8075306 DOI: 10.2147/iprp.s280523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Collaborative medication reviews (CMR) have been shown to reduce inappropriate prescribing (IP) in various settings. This study aimed at describing a CMR practice in an emergency department (ED) short-term ward in Finland to investigate IP in pre-admission medications. PATIENTS AND METHODS Pre-admission medications were collaboratively reviewed for all the adult ED admissions within a 5-month study period in 2016. Types of IP were inductively categorized, and descriptive statistics were used to show the incidence and type of IP events. RESULTS The pre-admission medications of 855 adult ED patients were reviewed by the pharmacist, with 113 IP events identified in 83 (9.7%) of the patients. The majority (81%, n=67) of these patients were older adults (≥65 years). Of these 94 IP events identified in 67 older patients, 58 (62%) were confirmed by the ED physicians. The following 3 main categories were inductively developed for the types of identified and confirmed IP events: 1) Misprescribing (prescription of medications that significantly increase the risk of adverse drug events); 2) Overprescribing (prescription of medications for which no clear clinical indications exist); and 3) Underprescribing (omission of potentially beneficial medications that are clinically indicated for treatment or prevention of a disease). Misprescribing was the most common type of IP identified (79% of the identified and 72% confirmed IP events). Benzodiazepines (29%) and antidepressants (28%) were involved in 33 out of 58 (57%) confirmed IP events. Medications with strong anticholinergic effects were involved in 19% of the confirmed IP events. CONCLUSION The CMR practice was able to identify IP in pre-admission medications of about one-tenth of ED patients. Older patients using benzodiazepines and drugs with strong anticholinergic effects should be paid special attention to ED admissions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ercan Celikkayalar
- Clinical Pharmacy Group, Division of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Hospital Pharmacy Department, Satasairaala Central Hospital, Pori, Finland
| | - Juha Puustinen
- Clinical Pharmacy Group, Division of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Social Security Center of Pori, Pori, Finland
- Unit of Neurology, Satasairaala Central Hospital, Pori, Finland
| | - Joni Palmgren
- Hospital Pharmacy Department, Satasairaala Central Hospital, Pori, Finland
| | - Marja Airaksinen
- Clinical Pharmacy Group, Division of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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