Effectiveness of Best Practice Alerts for Potentially Inappropriate Medication Orders in Older Adults in the...

Information is limited about the effectiveness of best practice alerts (BPAs) for potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) in improving clinical outcomes in older adults.

To assess clinical outcomes of 11 BPAs for PIMs in older adults in the ambulatory setting.

A retrospective cohort study was conducted at an integrated health care delivery system with computerized provider order entry. Patients aged 65 years and older were included if they had a BPA triggered when a prescriber attempted to order a sedating PIM in the ambulatory setting. Patients were categorized into dispensed and nondispensed groups if they did and did not, respectively, have the study PIM for which the BPA was triggered dispensed within 30 days of the alert. Rates of fall, fracture, or other injury and cognitive impairment were measured during 180-day follow-up.

A total of 2704 patients were included: 1373 (50.8%) and 1331 (49.2%) in the dispensed and nondispensed groups, respectively. The dispensed group had a lower unadjusted rate of fall/fracture/injury (3.4% vs 5.3%, p = 0.019), but this difference was attenuated with multivariable adjustment (adjusted odds ratio = 0.77, 95% confidence interval = 0.51-1.13). There was no difference in the rate of cognitive impairment between groups (4.6% vs 4.4%, adjusted odds ratio = 1.40, 95% confidence interval = 0.95-2.05).

No association was identified between PIM dispensing after a prescriber was alerted with a BPA and reduced rates of falls/fractures/injuries and cognitive impairment.