Team Approach to Polypharmacy Evaluation and Reduction in a Long-Term Care Setting: A Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial
Team Approach to Polypharmacy Evaluation and Reduction in a Long-Term Care Setting: A Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial
Medication side effects and interactions between medications are very common in older adults and are related to negative health outcomes. In this study, the investigators will test a new process aimed at reducing unnecessary medication use and drug side effects in seniors using the best medical evidence and patient preferences for treatment. This study will assess how feasible the implementation of this intervention is within a long-term care facility as well as if it is possible. Participants in two long-term care facilities will participate in this study. Measures will include feasibility outcomes regarding the logistics of the intervention as well as patients outcomes (falls, hospitalizations, and medications) collected before and after implementation. This trial will be a randomized control trial with an adaptive trial design.
There are substantial associations between polypharmacy and reduced function from older adults and this is likely to be important in frail older adults both in long term care and in the community. The reversibility of drug-induced mobility impairment is unclear therefore the investigators plan to investigate signals of any impact of reducing polypharmacy on mobility. The investigators chose the long-term care setting given the presence of complete medication administration records and this patient population's high prevalence of polypharmacy and risk of adverse drug events. TaperMD is an electronic tool for systematic medication reduction that incorporates patient priorities, electronic screening for potentially harmful medicines,supporting evidence tools and a monitoring pathway to support medication reduction. This study will examine the feasibility of this tool in a long-term care setting as well as examine. Participants in two long-term care facilities will participate in this study. Measures will include feasibility outcomes regarding the logistics of the intervention as well as patients outcomes (falls, hospitalizations, and medications) collected before and after implementation. The study will be an adaptive trial design with two phases. Phase 1 will be an internal pilot. This will allow the investigators to re-evaluate and modify outcome measures and processes as necessary. Phase 2 of this trial will allow for continuation after adjustments to the process or design has been made in a larger randomized controlled trial.
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