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Vandenberg AE, Hwang U, Das S, Genes N, Nyamu S, Richardson L, Ezenkwele U, Legome E, Richardson C, Belachew A, Leong T, Kegler M, Vaughan CP. Scaling the EQUIPPED medication safety program: Traditional and hub-and-spoke implementation models. J Am Geriatr Soc 2024; 72:2184-2194. [PMID: 38259070 DOI: 10.1111/jgs.18746] [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: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The EQUIPPED (Enhancing Quality of Prescribing Practices for Older Adults Discharged from the Emergency Department) medication safety program is an evidence-informed quality improvement initiative to reduce potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) prescribed by Emergency Department (ED) providers to adults aged 65 and older at discharge. We aimed to scale-up this successful program using (1) a traditional implementation model at an ED with a novel electronic medical record and (2) a new hub-and-spoke implementation model at three new EDs within a health system that had previously implemented EQUIPPED (hub). We hypothesized that implementation speed would increase under the hub-and-spoke model without cost to PIM reduction or site engagement. METHODS We evaluated the effect of the EQUIPPED program on PIMs for each ED, comparing their 12-month baseline to 12-month post-implementation period prescribing data, number of months to implement EQUIPPED, and facilitators and barriers to implementation. RESULTS The proportion of PIMs at all four sites declined significantly from pre- to post-EQUIPPED: at traditional site 1 from 8.9% (8.1-9.6) to 3.6% (3.6-9.6) (p < 0.001); at spread site 1 from 12.2% (11.2-13.2) to 7.1% (6.1-8.1) (p < 0.001); at spread site 2 from 11.3% (10.1-12.6) to 7.9% (6.4-8.8) (p = 0.045); and at spread site 3 from 16.2% (14.9-17.4) to 11.7% (10.3-13.0) (p < 0.001). Time to implement was equivalent at all sites across both models. Interview data, reflecting a wide scope of responsibilities for the champion at the traditional site and a narrow scope at the spoke sites, indicated disproportionate barriers to engagement at the spoke sites. CONCLUSIONS EQUIPPED was successfully implemented under both implementation models at four new sites during the COVID-19 pandemic, indicating the feasibility of adapting EQUIPPED to complex, real-world conditions. The hub-and-spoke model offers an effective way to scale-up EQUIPPED though a speed or quality advantage could not be shown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann E Vandenberg
- Division of Geriatrics & Gerontology, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Ula Hwang
- Department of Emergency Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
- James J. Peters VA Medical Center GRECC, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Shamie Das
- Division of Geriatrics & Gerontology, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Nicholas Genes
- Department of Emergency Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Sylviah Nyamu
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Lynne Richardson
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Ugo Ezenkwele
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Eric Legome
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Christopher Richardson
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Adam Belachew
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Traci Leong
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Michelle Kegler
- Department of Behavioural, Social and Health Education Sciences, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Camille P Vaughan
- Division of Geriatrics & Gerontology, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Birmingham/Atlanta VA GRECC, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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