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Using an Electronic Decision Support Tool to Reduce Inappropriate Polypharmacy and Optimize Medicines: Rationale and
Amber Young1, June Tordoff, Susan Dovey
1New Zealand's National School of Pharmacy, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. amber.young@otago.ac.nz.
JMIR Research Protocols
|June 12, 2016
Summary
This study developed an electronic decision support tool to optimize medication reviews and reduce polypharmacy. Pilot data will assess its real-world effectiveness in improving prescribing practices and patient outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Health Informatics
- Clinical Pharmacy
- General Practice
Background:
- Polypharmacy and inappropriate medication continuation pose risks of adverse drug events and increased healthcare costs.
- Effective medication reviews are limited by time constraints and funding for pharmacy services.
- An electronic decision support tool, the medicines optimization/review and evaluation (MORE) module, is proposed to address these limitations.
Purpose of the Study:
- Develop an electronic decision support tool to aid prescribers in clinical medication reviews, focusing on multimorbidity and polypharmacy.
- Evaluate the tool's utility in supporting prescribers during patient consultations and gather pilot data on its effectiveness.
Main Methods:
- Development and validation of clinical rules and the MORE decision support tool.
- A 6-month controlled trial in general practices comparing intervention and control groups.
- Measuring prescriber engagement, suggested interventions, medication changes, and patient outcomes including hospitalizations.
Main Results:
- Phase one of development is complete; the decision support tool is under development.
- Final data analysis is anticipated in December 2016.
- The study will provide pilot data on the tool's usefulness and impact on prescribing.
Conclusions:
- The study aims to determine if the MORE decision support tool is effective in real-world settings.
- It will assess the tool's ability to promote positive changes in prescribing practices.
- The findings will inform the broader implementation of such tools to improve patient safety and medication management.
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