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Rea E, Portman D, Ioannou K, Lumley B. Reprint of: Pharmacist-driven deprescribing initiative in primary care. J Am Pharm Assoc (2003) 2024:102162. [PMID: 39127936 DOI: 10.1016/j.japh.2024.102162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Polypharmacy, a broad term to describe the use of numerous and often unnecessary medications, has been connected to frailty, hospital admissions, falls, and even mortality. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) developed the VIONE (vital, important, optional, not indicated, and every medication has an indication) dashboard to identify patients with polypharmacy and serve as a framework for deprescribing of medications across VHA facilities where it is used in a variety of practice settings by different disciplines. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to describe the implementation of a pharmacist-led, system-wide, deprescribing initiative in the primary care setting. PRACTICE DESCRIPTION Interdisciplinary education was provided through academic detailing. Subsequently, patients were identified for inclusion in the project using the VIONE dashboard focusing on those at highest risk of polypharmacy and moving down to the lowest risk. Interested patients underwent a medication reconciliation. A clinical pharmacist practitioner (CPP) then contacted the patient to discuss potential deprescribing options. Recommendations were relayed to the primary care provider (PCP) for final approval and communicated to the patient by the pharmacy team. PRACTICE INNOVATION Primary care CPPs (n = 3) integrated deprescribing into their standard workload. This service was implemented in the primary care setting across an entire health care system consisting of 16 different primary care teams. EVALUATION METHODS The initiative's impact was measured by the number of discontinued medications, the acceptance rate of recommendations by the PCP, the potential annualized cost avoidance, and the number of patients referred to CPP medication management clinics. RESULTS Among 63 patients, a total of 352 medications were deprescribed resulting in a potential annualized cost avoidance of $184,221. The acceptance rate of discontinuation recommendations was 96.7%. Subsequently, 25.4% of patients were referred to pharmacist-led clinics for disease state management. CONCLUSION Embedding deprescribing into standard CPP workflow within the primary care setting facilitated a way for polypharmacy reduction and allowed the expansion of pharmacy-led services at VA Butler Healthcare System.
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Krulikas L, Bates J, Chanfreau C, Coleman H, Dalton S, Voora D. Association of Pharmacogenomic Phenotypes in CYP2D6, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, and CYP3A5 on Polypharmacy in Veterans. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2024; 116:390-396. [PMID: 38775021 DOI: 10.1002/cpt.3297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/17/2024]
Abstract
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) utilizes a pharmacogenomic (PGx) program that analyzes specific "pharmacogenes." This study evaluates the effect that pharmacogenes may have on prevalence of polypharmacy. This retrospective cohort study included patients with VA prescriptions who underwent PGx testing. We quantified prescriptions active or recently expired at the time of PGx testing. We constructed two co-primary polypharmacy (≥10 medications) end points: (i) based on all medications and (ii) requiring that at least one medication was affected by a pharmacogene of interest. Pharmacogenes and actionable phenotypes of interest included poor and ultrarapid metabolizers for CYP2D6, CYP2C9, and CYP2C19 and intermediate and normal metabolizers for CYP3A5. Patients were classified as having 0, 1, and 2+ total phenotypes across all genes. Of the 15,144 patients screened, 13,116 met eligibility criteria. Across phenotype cohorts, there was no significant association with polypharmacy using all medications, number of total medications, or number of medications affected by phenotypes. However, there was a significant difference in patients with polypharmacy prescribed ≥1 medication impacted by PGx across phenotype groups: 2,514/4,949 (51%), 1,349/2,595 (52%), 204/350 (58%) (P = 0.03, OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.02-1.67). The median number of medications affected by PGx phenotypes with ≥1 PGx-impacted medication across phenotype groups was a median of 0 (IQR 0, 0), 0 (IQR 0, 0), and 1 (IQR 0, 1) (P < 0.001). In patients prescribed ≥1 medication impacted by PGx, those with more actionable pharmacogenomic phenotypes were more likely to meet polypharmacy criteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linas Krulikas
- Durham VA Healthcare System, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jill Bates
- Durham VA Healthcare System, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | | | | | - Shawn Dalton
- Durham VA Healthcare System, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Deepak Voora
- Duke University Medical Center and Durham VA Healthcare System, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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Faulkner W, DiScala SL, Quellhorst JA, Dakroub B. Implementation of a Pilot PharmD Medication Optimization Telehealth Clinic Within a Veterans Affairs System. Sr Care Pharm 2024; 39:193-201. [PMID: 38685620 DOI: 10.4140/tcp.n.2024.193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Background Patients older than 65 years of age with an anticipated life-expectancy of 12 months or less may have complex medication regimens and an increased risk of adverse drug reactions, and drug-drug interactions. Within the Department of Veterans Affairs, a commonly used medication optimization model is known as the VIONE methodology. Objective This project aimed to pilot implementation of board-certified clinical pharmacist practitioners utilizing the VIONE model within a patient-aligned care team targeting patients 65 years of age and older. Methods The population was identified through the VIONE dashboards. Veteran inclusion criteria included five or more medications, a VIONE risk score of 5 or greater, and CAN scores of greater than 90. The project team reached out via telephone to the patients for a medication regimen review and a 14-day follow-up call. Primary outcomes were quantity of medications discontinued per patient, classes of medications that were discontinued, number and encounter time spent, and cost avoidance over 1 year. Secondary outcomes were VIONE classification of medications, VIONE discontinuation reason, number of recommendations given and accepted by primary provider, and safety analysis. Results There were 53 patients who were successfully contacted via telephone. The top four most discontinued medication classes included 1) vitamins/supplements, 2) ophthalmology medications, 3) gastrointestinal medications, and 4) non-controlled analgesic medications. During the project period the potential cost avoidance over 1 year was $17,716. CONCLUSION: This project demonstrated that usage of VIONE methodology ensures medication optimization with minimal harm and provides significant cost savings in the ambulatory care setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wesley Faulkner
- West Palm Beach Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, West Palm Beach, Florida
| | - Sandra L DiScala
- West Palm Beach Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, West Palm Beach, Florida
| | | | - Belal Dakroub
- West Palm Beach Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, West Palm Beach, Florida
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Rea E, Portman D, Ioannou K, Lumley B. Pharmacist-driven deprescribing initiative in primary care. J Am Pharm Assoc (2003) 2024; 64:139-145. [PMID: 37722503 DOI: 10.1016/j.japh.2023.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Polypharmacy, a broad term to describe the use of numerous and often unnecessary medications, has been connected to frailty, hospital admissions, falls, and even mortality. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) developed the VIONE (vital, important, optional, not indicated, and every medication has an indication) dashboard to identify patients with polypharmacy and serve as a framework for deprescribing of medications across VHA facilities where it is used in a variety of practice settings by different disciplines. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to describe the implementation of a pharmacist-led, system-wide, deprescribing initiative in the primary care setting. PRACTICE DESCRIPTION Interdisciplinary education was provided through academic detailing. Subsequently, patients were identified for inclusion in the project using the VIONE dashboard focusing on those at highest risk of polypharmacy and moving down to the lowest risk. Interested patients underwent a medication reconciliation. A clinical pharmacist practitioner (CPP) then contacted the patient to discuss potential deprescribing options. Recommendations were relayed to the primary care provider (PCP) for final approval and communicated to the patient by the pharmacy team. PRACTICE INNOVATION Primary care CPPs (n = 3) integrated deprescribing into their standard workload. This service was implemented in the primary care setting across an entire health care system consisting of 16 different primary care teams. EVALUATION METHODS The initiative's impact was measured by the number of discontinued medications, the acceptance rate of recommendations by the PCP, the potential annualized cost avoidance, and the number of patients referred to CPP medication management clinics. RESULTS Among 63 patients, a total of 352 medications were deprescribed resulting in a potential annualized cost avoidance of $184,221. The acceptance rate of discontinuation recommendations was 96.7%. Subsequently, 25.4% of patients were referred to pharmacist-led clinics for disease state management. CONCLUSION Embedding deprescribing into standard CPP workflow within the primary care setting facilitated a way for polypharmacy reduction and allowed the expansion of pharmacy-led services at VA Butler Healthcare System.
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Winter SG, Sedgwick C, Wallace-Lacey A, Dickerson K, Battar S, Hung W. Informatics Tools in Deprescribing and Medication Optimization in Older Adults: Development and Dissemination of VIONE Methodology in a High Reliability Organization. Clin Ther 2023; 45:928-934. [PMID: 37690914 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinthera.2023.07.021] [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: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Polypharmacy is common in older adults, with almost 20% of older adults taking ≥10 medications. They are at great risk for adverse events related to potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs). Although evidence-based methods for deprescribing have been successful at reducing polypharmacy and improving quality of medication use, there are several challenges to implementing these methods on a large scale. VIONE, a medication deprescribing methodology, was developed to reduce polypharmacy and PIMs across the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). (VIONE stands for Vital, Important, Optional, Not indicated, and Every medication has an indication.) This study describes the tools created for implementation of VIONE and the dashboards used to track VIONE implementation and subsequent deprescribing across the VHA; their use and sustainment are examined in a health system-wide adoption of this deprescribing practice in a high reliability organization (HRO). METHODS VIONE was disseminated by the VHA via the Diffusion of Excellence Initiative. Dissemination included an implementation toolkit and four dashboards that collect and display data from the electronic medical record to monitor utilization of VIONE, track medication discontinuations, and prospectively identify veterans who may be candidates for deprescribing. FINDINGS Between 2016 and the present, VIONE has been adopted at >130 medical centers and influenced almost 700,000 unique patients. In addition, a total of >1.6 million medication orders have been discontinued by >15,000 providers. IMPLICATIONS The VIONE methodology and informatics tools were widely disseminated and successfully adopted and sustained nationally in a high reliability organization, leading to a reduction in PIM use by older adults and improved quality and patient safety. Future efforts should continue to consider ways to leverage electronic medical record data and other relevant informatics tools to provide customized clinical decision support to further medication optimization and deprescribing efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shira G Winter
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA.
| | - Christopher Sedgwick
- Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Heartland Network (Veterans Integrated Service Network 15), Kansas City, Missouri, USA
| | - Ashleigh Wallace-Lacey
- Clinical Pharmacy Practice Office, VISN 15 Heartland Network, Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Heartland Network (VISN 15), Kansas City, Missouri, USA
| | - Kimberly Dickerson
- Little Rock VA Medical Center, Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
| | - Saraswathy Battar
- West Palm Beach VA Medical Center, West Palm Beach, Florida, USA; Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida, USA
| | - William Hung
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA; Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USA
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Lee S, Bobb Swanson M, Fillman A, Carnahan RM, Seaman AT, Reisinger HS. Challenges and opportunities in creating a deprescribing program in the emergency department: A qualitative study. J Am Geriatr Soc 2023; 71:62-76. [PMID: 36258309 PMCID: PMC10092723 DOI: 10.1111/jgs.18047] [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: 04/18/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND As the population of older adults increases, appropriate deprescribing becomes increasingly important for emergency geriatric care. Older adults represent the sickest patients with chronic medical conditions, and they are often exposed to high-risk medications. We need to provide an evidence-based, standardized deprescribing program in the acute care setting, yet the evidence base is lacking and standardized medication programs are needed. METHODS We conducted a qualitative study with the goal to understand the perspective of healthcare workers, patients, and caregivers on deprescribing high-risk medications in the context of emergency care practices, provider preferences, and practice variability, along with the facilitators and barriers to an effective deprescribing program in the emergency department (ED). To ensure rich, contextual data, the study utilized two qualitative methods: (1) a focus group with physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, pharmacists, and geriatricians involved in care of older adults and their prescriptions in the acute care setting; (2) semi-structured interviews with patients and caregivers involved in treatment and emergency care. Transcriptions were coded using thematic content analysis, and the principal investigator (S.L.) and trained research staff categorized each code into themes. RESULTS Data collection from a focus group with healthcare workers (n = 8) and semi-structured interviews with patients and caregivers (n = 20) provided evidence of a potentially promising ED medication program, aligned with the vision of comprehensive care of older adults, that can be used to evaluate practices and develop interventions. We identified four themes: (1) Challenges in medication history taking, (2) missed opportunities in identifying high-risk medications, (3) facilitators and barriers to deprescribing recommendations, and (4) how to coordinate deprescribing recommendations. CONCLUSIONS Our focus group and semi-structured interviews resulted in a framework for an ED medication program to screen, identify, and deprescribe high-risk medications for older adults and coordinate their care with primary care providers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sangil Lee
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Morgan Bobb Swanson
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Allison Fillman
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Ryan M Carnahan
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Iowa College of Public Health, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Aaron T Seaman
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Heather Schacht Reisinger
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
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Damschroder LJ, Sussman JB, Pfeiffer PN, Kurlander JE, Freitag MB, Robinson CH, Spoutz P, Christopher MLD, Battar S, Dickerson K, Sedgwick C, Wallace-Lacey AG, Barnes GD, Linsky AM, Ulmer CS, Lowery JC. Maintaining Implementation through Dynamic Adaptations (MIDAS): protocol for a cluster-randomized trial of implementation strategies to optimize and sustain use of evidence-based practices in Veteran Health Administration (VHA) patients. Implement Sci Commun 2022; 3:53. [PMID: 35568903 PMCID: PMC9107220 DOI: 10.1186/s43058-022-00297-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The adoption and sustainment of evidence-based practices (EBPs) is a challenge within many healthcare systems, especially in settings that have already strived but failed to achieve longer-term goals. The Veterans Affairs (VA) Maintaining Implementation through Dynamic Adaptations (MIDAS) Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI) program was funded as a series of trials to test multi-component implementation strategies to sustain optimal use of three EBPs: (1) a deprescribing approach intended to reduce potentially inappropriate polypharmacy; (2) appropriate dosing and drug selection of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs); and (3) use of cognitive behavioral therapy as first-line treatment for insomnia before pharmacologic treatment. We describe the design and methods for a harmonized series of cluster-randomized control trials comparing two implementation strategies. Methods For each trial, we will recruit 8–12 clinics (24–36 total). All will have access to relevant clinical data to identify patients who may benefit from the target EBP at that clinic and provider. For each trial, clinics will be randomized to one of two implementation strategies to improve the use of the EBPs: (1) individual-level academic detailing (AD) or (2) AD plus the team-based Learn. Engage. Act. Process. (LEAP) quality improvement (QI) learning program. The primary outcomes will be operationalized across the three trials as a patient-level dichotomous response (yes/no) indicating patients with potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) among those who may benefit from the EBP. This outcome will be computed using month-by-month administrative data. Primary comparison between the two implementation strategies will be analyzed using generalized estimating equations (GEE) with clinic-level monthly (13 to 36 months) percent of PIMs as the dependent variable. Primary comparative endpoint will be at 18 months post-baseline. Each trial will also be analyzed independently. Discussion MIDAS QUERI trials will focus on fostering sustained use of EBPs that previously had targeted but incomplete implementation. Our implementation approaches are designed to engage frontline clinicians in a dynamic optimization process that integrates the use of actional clinical data and making incremental changes, designed to be feasible within busy clinical settings. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05065502. Registered October 4, 2021—retrospectively registered. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s43058-022-00297-z.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura J Damschroder
- Center for Clinical Management Research, VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, 2215 Fuller Road, Ann Arbor, MI, 48105, USA.
| | - Jeremy B Sussman
- Center for Clinical Management Research, VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, 2215 Fuller Road, Ann Arbor, MI, 48105, USA.,Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.,Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Paul N Pfeiffer
- Center for Clinical Management Research, VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, 2215 Fuller Road, Ann Arbor, MI, 48105, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Jacob E Kurlander
- Center for Clinical Management Research, VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, 2215 Fuller Road, Ann Arbor, MI, 48105, USA.,Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.,Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Michelle B Freitag
- Center for Clinical Management Research, VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, 2215 Fuller Road, Ann Arbor, MI, 48105, USA
| | - Claire H Robinson
- Center for Clinical Management Research, VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, 2215 Fuller Road, Ann Arbor, MI, 48105, USA
| | - Patrick Spoutz
- Veterans Health Affairs VISN 20 Pharmacy Benefits Management, Vancouver, WA, USA
| | - Melissa L D Christopher
- Pharmacy Benefits Management Services, Veterans Health Administration, 810 Vermont Ave NW, Washington DC, 20420, USA
| | - Saraswathy Battar
- Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Houston, TX, USA.,Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Christopher Sedgwick
- Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Heartland Network (VISN 15), Kansas City, MO, USA
| | | | - Geoffrey D Barnes
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.,Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.,Frankel Cardiovascular Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Amy M Linsky
- Section of General Medicine, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA.,Center for Health Organizations and Implementation Research, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA.,Section of General Internal Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Christi S Ulmer
- Center of Innovation to Accelerate Discovery and Practice Transformation (ADAPT) Durham Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Durham, NC, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Julie C Lowery
- Center for Clinical Management Research, VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, 2215 Fuller Road, Ann Arbor, MI, 48105, USA
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