Incorporation of Student Pharmacists into a Proton Pump Inhibitor Deprescribing Telehealth Program for Rural Veterans

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology
• Telehealth
• Geriatric Medicine

Background:

• Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are widely prescribed but often used inappropriately.
• Long-term PPI use is linked to adverse health effects.
• Optimizing PPI prescribing is crucial for patient safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess PPI appropriateness in Veterans using remote chart reviews.
• To identify disparities in PPI use between urban and rural Veterans.
• To evaluate the feasibility of a student-pharmacist-led telehealth PPI deprescribing program.

Main Methods:

• Student pharmacists conducted remote chart reviews to evaluate PPI appropriateness.
• Data were compared between urban and rural Veteran populations.
• A pilot telehealth study involved student pharmacists in PPI deprescribing interventions.

Main Results:

• 51% of Veterans exhibited inappropriate PPI indications.
• No statistically significant difference in inappropriate PPI use was found between urban and rural Veterans.
• 83% of participants agreed to PPI deprescribing, with 71% achieving dose reduction.

Conclusions:

• Inappropriate PPI use is common in both urban and rural Veterans.
• Student pharmacists can effectively conduct telehealth PPI deprescribing interventions.
• Telehealth offers a feasible model for optimizing medication management.