Systematic Medication Review in General Practice by an Interdisciplinary Team: A thorough but Laborious Method to Address Polypharmacy among Elderly Patients
Polypharmacy increases the risk of hospitalization but may be reduced by medication review. The study objective is to describe and evaluate a method for conducting medication review in general practice by an interdisciplinary medication team of pharmacists and physicians—in this case conducted by a...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2020-03-01
|
| Series: | Pharmacy |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2226-4787/8/2/57 |
| _version_ | 1797571849858580480 |
|---|---|
| author | Dagmar Abelone Dalin Charlotte Vermehren Anette Kobberø Jensen Janne Unkerskov Jon Trærup Andersen |
| author_facet | Dagmar Abelone Dalin Charlotte Vermehren Anette Kobberø Jensen Janne Unkerskov Jon Trærup Andersen |
| author_sort | Dagmar Abelone Dalin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Polypharmacy increases the risk of hospitalization but may be reduced by medication review. The study objective is to describe and evaluate a method for conducting medication review in general practice by an interdisciplinary medication team of pharmacists and physicians—in this case conducted by a team from the Department of Clinical Pharmacology—based on information concerning medication, diagnosis, relevant laboratory data and medical history supplied by the general practitioner. We discussed the medication review with the patients’ general practitioners and received feedback from them regarding acceptance rates of the recommended changes. Ninety-four patients with a total of 1471 prescriptions were included. A medication change was recommended for nearly half of the prescriptions (48%); at least one change of medication was recommended for all patients. The acceptance rate for recommended medication changes was 55%, corresponding to a mean of 4.2 accepted recommendations per patient. For 18% of all 1471 prescriptions, the general practitioner agreed either to discontinue (stop the medication completely) or reduce the dose of the medication. This method is thorough, but since it requires several healthcare professionals, it is rather time-consuming. There is a need to support medication review in general practice, but although this method may be too time consuming in most cases, it may nevertheless prove to be a useful tool managing the most complicated patients. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T20:47:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ff2d30d7a73442b19c78a475f34a62ef |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2226-4787 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T20:47:27Z |
| publishDate | 2020-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pharmacy |
| spelling | doaj.art-ff2d30d7a73442b19c78a475f34a62ef2023-11-19T20:15:57ZengMDPI AGPharmacy2226-47872020-03-01825710.3390/pharmacy8020057Systematic Medication Review in General Practice by an Interdisciplinary Team: A thorough but Laborious Method to Address Polypharmacy among Elderly PatientsDagmar Abelone Dalin0Charlotte Vermehren1Anette Kobberø Jensen2Janne Unkerskov3Jon Trærup Andersen4Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Copenhagen University Hospital Bispebjerg, Copenhagen DK-2400, DenmarkDepartment of Clinical Pharmacology, Copenhagen University Hospital Bispebjerg, Copenhagen DK-2400, DenmarkThe Hospital Pharmacy, the Capital Region of Denmark, DK-2730 Herlev, DenmarkQuality in General Practice in the Capital Region of Denmark (KAP-H), DK-3400 Hillerød, DenmarkDepartment of Clinical Pharmacology, Copenhagen University Hospital Bispebjerg, Copenhagen DK-2400, DenmarkPolypharmacy increases the risk of hospitalization but may be reduced by medication review. The study objective is to describe and evaluate a method for conducting medication review in general practice by an interdisciplinary medication team of pharmacists and physicians—in this case conducted by a team from the Department of Clinical Pharmacology—based on information concerning medication, diagnosis, relevant laboratory data and medical history supplied by the general practitioner. We discussed the medication review with the patients’ general practitioners and received feedback from them regarding acceptance rates of the recommended changes. Ninety-four patients with a total of 1471 prescriptions were included. A medication change was recommended for nearly half of the prescriptions (48%); at least one change of medication was recommended for all patients. The acceptance rate for recommended medication changes was 55%, corresponding to a mean of 4.2 accepted recommendations per patient. For 18% of all 1471 prescriptions, the general practitioner agreed either to discontinue (stop the medication completely) or reduce the dose of the medication. This method is thorough, but since it requires several healthcare professionals, it is rather time-consuming. There is a need to support medication review in general practice, but although this method may be too time consuming in most cases, it may nevertheless prove to be a useful tool managing the most complicated patients.https://www.mdpi.com/2226-4787/8/2/57medication errorsgeneral practicegeneral practitionersfamily practicepharmacistsaged |
| spellingShingle | Dagmar Abelone Dalin Charlotte Vermehren Anette Kobberø Jensen Janne Unkerskov Jon Trærup Andersen Systematic Medication Review in General Practice by an Interdisciplinary Team: A thorough but Laborious Method to Address Polypharmacy among Elderly Patients Pharmacy medication errors general practice general practitioners family practice pharmacists aged |
| title | Systematic Medication Review in General Practice by an Interdisciplinary Team: A thorough but Laborious Method to Address Polypharmacy among Elderly Patients |
| title_full | Systematic Medication Review in General Practice by an Interdisciplinary Team: A thorough but Laborious Method to Address Polypharmacy among Elderly Patients |
| title_fullStr | Systematic Medication Review in General Practice by an Interdisciplinary Team: A thorough but Laborious Method to Address Polypharmacy among Elderly Patients |
| title_full_unstemmed | Systematic Medication Review in General Practice by an Interdisciplinary Team: A thorough but Laborious Method to Address Polypharmacy among Elderly Patients |
| title_short | Systematic Medication Review in General Practice by an Interdisciplinary Team: A thorough but Laborious Method to Address Polypharmacy among Elderly Patients |
| title_sort | systematic medication review in general practice by an interdisciplinary team a thorough but laborious method to address polypharmacy among elderly patients |
| topic | medication errors general practice general practitioners family practice pharmacists aged |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2226-4787/8/2/57 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT dagmarabelonedalin systematicmedicationreviewingeneralpracticebyaninterdisciplinaryteamathoroughbutlaboriousmethodtoaddresspolypharmacyamongelderlypatients AT charlottevermehren systematicmedicationreviewingeneralpracticebyaninterdisciplinaryteamathoroughbutlaboriousmethodtoaddresspolypharmacyamongelderlypatients AT anettekobberøjensen systematicmedicationreviewingeneralpracticebyaninterdisciplinaryteamathoroughbutlaboriousmethodtoaddresspolypharmacyamongelderlypatients AT janneunkerskov systematicmedicationreviewingeneralpracticebyaninterdisciplinaryteamathoroughbutlaboriousmethodtoaddresspolypharmacyamongelderlypatients AT jontrærupandersen systematicmedicationreviewingeneralpracticebyaninterdisciplinaryteamathoroughbutlaboriousmethodtoaddresspolypharmacyamongelderlypatients |