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Al Musawi A, Hellström L, Axelsson M, Midlöv P, Rämgård M, Cheng Y, Eriksson T. Intervention for a correct medication list and medication use in older adults: a non-randomised feasibility study among inpatients and residents during care transitions. Int J Clin Pharm 2024; 46:639-647. [PMID: 38340241 PMCID: PMC11133128 DOI: 10.1007/s11096-024-01702-4] [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: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Medication discrepancies in care transitions and medication non-adherence are problematic. Few interventions consider the entire process, from the hospital to the patient's medication use at home. AIM In preparation for randomised controlled trials (RCTs), this study aimed (1) to investigate the feasibility of recruitment and retention of patients, and data collection to reduce medication discrepancies at discharge and improve medication adherence, and (2) to explore the outcomes of the interventions. METHOD Participants were recruited from a hospital and a residential area. Hospital patients participated in a pharmacist-led intervention to establish a correct medication list upon discharge and a follow-up interview two weeks post-discharge. All participants received a person-centred adherence intervention for three to six months. Discrepancies in the medication lists, the Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire (BMQ-S), and the Medication Adherence Report Scale (MARS-5) were assessed. RESULTS Of 87 asked to participate, 35 were included, and 12 completed the study. Identifying discrepancies, discussing discrepancies with physicians, and performing follow-up interviews were possible. Conducting the adherence intervention was also possible using individual health plans for medication use. Among the seven hospital patients, 24 discrepancies were found. Discharging physicians agreed that all discrepancies were errors, but only ten were corrected in the discharge information. Ten participants decreased their total BMQ-S concern scores, and seven increased their total MARS-5 scores. CONCLUSION Based on this study, conducting the two RCTs separately may increase the inclusion rate. Data collection was feasible. Both interventions were feasible in many aspects but need to be optimised in upcoming RCTs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Al Musawi
- Department of Biomedical Science and Biofilm - Research Center for Biointerfaces, Faculty of Health and Society, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden.
| | - Lina Hellström
- Department of Medicine and Optometry, eHealth Institute, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden
- Pharmaceutical Department, Region Kalmar County, Kalmar, Sweden
| | - Malin Axelsson
- Department of Care Science, Faculty of Health and Society, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Patrik Midlöv
- Department of Clinical Sciences Malmö, Center for Primary Health Care Research, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Margareta Rämgård
- Department of Care Science, Faculty of Health and Society, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Yuanji Cheng
- Department of Materials Science and Applied Mathematics, Faculty of Technology and Society, Malmo University, Malmo, Sweden
| | - Tommy Eriksson
- Department of Biomedical Science and Biofilm - Research Center for Biointerfaces, Faculty of Health and Society, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden
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Johansen JS, Halvorsen KH, Svendsen K, Havnes K, Robinson EG, Wetting HL, Haustreis S, Småbrekke L, Kamycheva E, Garcia BH. Interdisciplinary collaboration across secondary and primary care to improve medication safety in the elderly (The IMMENSE study) - a randomized controlled trial. BMC Health Serv Res 2022; 22:1290. [PMID: 36289541 PMCID: PMC9597977 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-022-08648-1] [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: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Suboptimal medication use contributes to a substantial proportion of hospitalizations and emergency department visits in older adults. We designed a clinical pharmacist intervention to optimize medication therapy in older hospitalized patients. Based on the integrated medicine management (IMM) model, the 5-step IMMENSE intervention comprise medication reconciliation, medication review, reconciled medication list upon discharge, patient counselling, and post discharge communication with primary care. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the intervention on healthcare use and mortality. Methods A non-blinded parallel group randomized controlled trial was conducted in two internal medicine wards at the University Hospital of North Norway. Acutely admitted patients ≥ 70 years were randomized 1:1 to intervention or standard care (control). The primary outcome was the rate of emergency medical visits (readmissions and emergency department visits) 12 months after discharge. Results Of the 1510 patients assessed for eligibility, 662 patients were asked to participate, and 516 were enrolled. After withdrawal of consent and deaths in hospital, the modified intention-to-treat population comprised 480 patients with a mean age of 83.1 years (SD: 6.3); 244 intervention patients and 236 control patients. The number of emergency medical visits in the intervention and control group was 497 and 499, respectively, and no statistically significant difference was observed in rate of the primary outcome between the groups [adjusted incidence rate ratio of 1.02 (95% CI: 0.82–1.27)]. No statistically significant differences between groups were observed for any of the secondary outcomes, neither in subgroups, nor for the per-protocol population. Conclusions We did not observe any statistical significant effects of the IMMENSE intervention on the rate of emergency medical visits or any other secondary outcomes after 12 months in hospitalized older adults included in this study. Trial registration The trial was registered in clinicaltrials.gov on 28/06/2016, before enrolment started (NCT02816086). Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12913-022-08648-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeanette Schultz Johansen
- grid.10919.300000000122595234Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Kjell H. Halvorsen
- grid.10919.300000000122595234Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Kristian Svendsen
- grid.10919.300000000122595234Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Kjerstin Havnes
- grid.10919.300000000122595234Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway ,grid.412244.50000 0004 4689 5540Surgery, Cancer and Women’s Health Clinic, The University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | | | - Hilde Ljones Wetting
- grid.412244.50000 0004 4689 5540Hospital Pharmacy of North Norway Trust, Tromsø, Norway
| | | | - Lars Småbrekke
- grid.10919.300000000122595234Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Elena Kamycheva
- Nøste Private Healthcare Centre, Lier, Norway ,grid.412244.50000 0004 4689 5540Department of Geriatric Medicine, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Beate Hennie Garcia
- grid.10919.300000000122595234Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway ,grid.412244.50000 0004 4689 5540Hospital Pharmacy of North Norway Trust, Tromsø, Norway
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Johansen JS, Halvorsen KH, Havnes K, Wetting HL, Svendsen K, Garcia BH. Intervention fidelity and process outcomes of the IMMENSE study, a pharmacist-led interdisciplinary intervention to improve medication safety in older hospitalized patients. J Clin Pharm Ther 2021; 47:619-627. [PMID: 34931699 DOI: 10.1111/jcpt.13581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Revised: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE The majority of hospitalized older patients experience medication-related problems (MRPs), and there is a call for interventions to solve MRPs and improve clinical outcomes like medical visits. The IMMENSE study is a randomized controlled trial investigating the impact of a pharmacist-led interdisciplinary intervention on emergency medical visits. Its multistep intervention is based on the integrated medicines management methodology and includes a follow-up step with primary care. This study aims to describe how the intervention in the IMMENSE study was delivered and its process outcomes. METHODS The study includes the 221 intervention patients in the per-protocol group of the IMMENSE study. Both intervention delivery, reasons for not performing interventions and process outcomes were registered daily by the study pharmacists in a Microsoft Access® database. Process outcomes were medication discrepancies, MRPs and how the team solved these. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION A total of 121 (54.8%) patients received all intervention steps if appropriate. All patients received medication reconciliation (MedRec) and medication Review (MedRev) (step 1 and 2), while between 10% and 20% of patients were missed for medication list in discharge summary (step 3), patient counselling (step 4), or communication with general practitioner and nurse (step 5). A total of 437 discrepancies were identified in 159 (71.9%) patients during MedRec, and 1042 MRPs were identified in 209 (94.6%) patients during MedRev. Of these, 292 (66.8%) and 700 (67.2%), respectively, were communicated to and solved by the interdisciplinary team during the hospital stay. WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION The fidelity of the single steps of the intervention was high even though only about half of the patients received all intervention steps. The impact of the intervention may be influenced by not implementing all steps in all patients, but the many discrepancies and MRPs identified and solved for the patients could explain a potential effect of the IMMENSE study.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Beate Hennie Garcia
- UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway.,Hospital Pharmacy of North Norway Trust, Langnes, Norway
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Eriksson T, Melander AC. Clinical pharmacists' services, role and acceptance: a national Swedish survey. Eur J Hosp Pharm 2021; 28:e203-e206. [PMID: 34117089 DOI: 10.1136/ejhpharm-2020-002600] [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: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
AIM Describe, and between regions, compare the services provided, and the pharmacists' perceptions of their role and its importance. METHOD Online survey involving active clinical pharmacists in Sweden. RESULT The survey was completed by 118 pharmacists (66%), half of whom had at least 1 year's formal training in clinical pharmacy, and work experience in excess of 5 years. Admission medication reconciliation and medication review are provided in most regions and often on a daily basis. The most important services were: making suggestions to physicians regarding drug changes, medication review, medication reconciliation, and patient communication. On a five-point Likert-scale (where 1 = negative and 5 = positive) very few respondents scored less than 4 on the role, acceptance and skills questions. DISCUSSION Our study confirms the strong position of clinical pharmacy and clinical pharmacists in Sweden. There were some differences regarding the services provided between regions but clinical pharmacists' patient-centred work in the clinical setting as part of the care team is well established, accepted and important. Respondents believed they could take on additional responsibilities for prescription changes without the need for further education. CONCLUSION Patient-centred clinical pharmacy work in a clinical setting as part of the care team is well established, accepted and important.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tommy Eriksson
- Department of Biomedical Science, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden .,Biofilm - Research Center for Biointerfaces, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden
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Hellström L, Eriksson T, Bondesson Å. Prospective observational study of medication reviews in internal medicine wards: evaluation of drug-related problems. Eur J Hosp Pharm 2020; 28:e128-e133. [PMID: 33199398 DOI: 10.1136/ejhpharm-2020-002492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Lund Integrated Medicines Management model offers a systematic approach for individualising and optimising patient drug treatment. Clinical, economical and humanistic outcomes have been shown as well as results from the medication reconciliation process. There is a need also to describe the medication review process. OBJECTIVE To describe the frequency and types of drug-related problems (DRPs) identified during medication reviews and to evaluate the actions of the pharmacists and the physicians regarding the identified DRPs. METHOD Structured medication reviews were conducted by a multi-professional team on top of standard care for 719 patients in two internal medicine wards in a Swedish University Hospital. The medication reviews were studied retrospectively to classify DRPs and actions taken. RESULTS A total of 573 (80%) of patients had at least one actual DRP; an average of three DRPs per patient and in total 2164. Wrong drug and adverse drug reaction were the most common types of DRPs. The most frequent medication groups involved in DRPs were drugs for the cardiovascular system and the nervous system and the most frequent substances were warfarin, digoxin, furosemide and paracetamol. The 10 most common medications accounted for 27% of the actual DRPs. Of the identified DRPs, a total of 1740 (80%) were acted on. The three most common types of adjustments made were withdrawal of drug therapy, change of drug therapy and initiation of drug therapy. When the pharmacist suggested an adjustment, the physician implemented 88% (1037/1174) of the recommendations. CONCLUSION DRPs are common among elderly patients who are admitted to hospital. Systematic identification of high-risk medications and common DRP types enables targeting of prioritised patients for medication reviews.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lina Hellström
- eHealth Institute, Department of Medicine and Optometry, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden.,Pharmaceutical Department, Region Kalmar County, Kalmar, Sweden
| | - Tommy Eriksson
- Department of Biomedical Science, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden .,Biofilm - Research Center for Biointerfaces, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Åsa Bondesson
- Department of Medicines Management and Informatics, Skåne County Council, Kristianstad, Sweden
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Gutiérrez-Valencia M, Izquierdo M, Beobide-Telleria I, Ferro-Uriguen A, Alonso-Renedo J, Casas-Herrero Á, Martínez-Velilla N. Medicine optimization strategy in an acute geriatric unit: The pharmacist in the geriatric team. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2019; 19:530-536. [PMID: 30950148 DOI: 10.1111/ggi.13659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2018] [Revised: 12/28/2018] [Accepted: 02/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
AIM Older patients admitted to acute geriatric units (AGU) frequently use many medications and are particularly vulnerable to adverse drug events, so specific interventions in this setting are required. In the present study, we describe a new medicine optimization strategy in an AGU, and explore its potential in reducing polypharmacy and improving medication appropriateness. METHODS The present prospective study included patients aged ≥75 years who were admitted to an AGU in a tertiary hospital. An intervention based on a pharmacist clinical interview, medication history and a structured medication review within a comprehensive geriatric assessment was proposed. The differences regarding polypharmacy as the primary outcome (≥5 chronic drugs), hyperpolypharmacy (≥10), number of drugs, drug-related problems and Screening Tool of Older Person's Prescription/Screening Tool to Alert Doctors to Right Treatment criteria between admission and discharge were evaluated. RESULTS From October 2016 to April 2017, 234 patients were enrolled, aged 87.6 years (SD 4.6 years); 143 (61.1%) were women. The intervention resulted in a statistically significant improvement in polypharmacy (-10.2%, 95% CI -15.3, -5.2), hyperpolypharmacy (-16.6%, 95% CI -22.3 -11.0), number of medications (-1.4, 95% CI -1.8, -1.0), Screening Tool of Older Person's Prescription criteria (-19.2%, 95% CI -24.9, -13.6), Screening Tool to Alert Doctors to Right Treatment criteria (-6.8%, 95% CI -10.1, -3.5) and drug-related problems (-2.7, 95% CI -2.9, -2.4; P ≤ 0.001 for all). CONCLUSIONS A systematic pharmacist-led intervention at hospital admission to an AGU within a comprehensive geriatric assessment was associated to a decrease in polypharmacy, drug-related problems and potentially inappropriate prescribing. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2019; 19: 530-536.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Gutiérrez-Valencia
- Health Science Department, Public University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.,Geriatrics Research Group, Navarra Institute for Health Research (IdiSNA), Pamplona, Spain
| | - Mikel Izquierdo
- Health Science Department, Public University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.,Group CB16/10/00315, CIBER of Frailty and Healthy Aging, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - Javier Alonso-Renedo
- Geriatrics Research Group, Navarra Institute for Health Research (IdiSNA), Pamplona, Spain.,Geriatric Department, Complejo Hospitalario de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Álvaro Casas-Herrero
- Geriatrics Research Group, Navarra Institute for Health Research (IdiSNA), Pamplona, Spain.,Group CB16/10/00315, CIBER of Frailty and Healthy Aging, Madrid, Spain.,Geriatric Department, Complejo Hospitalario de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Nicolás Martínez-Velilla
- Geriatrics Research Group, Navarra Institute for Health Research (IdiSNA), Pamplona, Spain.,Group CB16/10/00315, CIBER of Frailty and Healthy Aging, Madrid, Spain.,Geriatric Department, Complejo Hospitalario de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
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Vinterflod C, Gustafsson M, Mattsson S, Gallego G. Physicians' perspectives on clinical pharmacy services in Northern Sweden: a qualitative study. BMC Health Serv Res 2018; 18:35. [PMID: 29361941 PMCID: PMC5781320 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-018-2841-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2016] [Accepted: 01/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In many countries, clinical pharmacists are part of health care teams that work to optimize drug therapy and ensure patient safety. However, in Sweden, clinical pharmacy services (CPSs) in hospital settings have not been widely implemented and regional differences exist in the uptake of these services. Physicians' attitudes toward CPSs and collaborating with clinical pharmacists may facilitate or hinder the implementation and expansion of the CPSs and the role of the clinical pharmacist in hospital wards. The aim of this study was to explore physicians' perceptions regarding CPSs performed at hospital wards in Northern Sweden. METHODS Face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of nine physicians who had previously worked with clinical pharmacists between November 2014 and January 2015. Interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed and analysed using a constant comparison method. RESULTS Different themes emerged regarding physicians' views of clinical pharmacy; two main interlinked themes were service factors and pharmacist factors. The service was valued and described in a positive way by all physicians. It was seen as an opportunity for them to learn more about pharmacological treatment and also an opportunity to discuss patient medication treatment in detail. Physicians considered that CPSs could improve patient outcomes and they valued continuity and the ability to build a trusting relationship with the pharmacists over time. However, there was a lack of awareness of the CPSs. All physicians knew that one of the pharmacist's roles is to conduct medication reviews, but most of them were only able to describe a few elements of what this service encompasses. Pharmacists were described as "drug experts" and their recommendations were perceived as clinically relevant. Physicians wanted CPSs to continue and to be implemented in other wards. CONCLUSIONS All physicians were positive regarding CPSs and were satisfied with the collaboration with the clinical pharmacists. These findings are important for further implementation and expansion of CPSs, particularly in Northern Sweden.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotta Vinterflod
- Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Neuroscience, Umeå University, SE-90187 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Maria Gustafsson
- Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Neuroscience, Umeå University, SE-90187 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Sofia Mattsson
- Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Neuroscience, Umeå University, SE-90187 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Gisselle Gallego
- Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Neuroscience, Umeå University, SE-90187 Umeå, Sweden
- School of Medicine, The University of Notre Dame Australia, 160 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010 Australia
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