Applying a co-designed medication plan for safer medication treatment in older persons: a feasibility study

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Primary Care Medicine
• Health Services Research

Background:

• International guidelines emphasize joint treatment plans for older patients' safety.
• A co-designed medication plan was developed involving older adults and healthcare professionals.
• This study assessed the feasibility of this medication plan in primary care settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the clinical practice feasibility of a co-designed medication plan for older persons.
• To assess the feasibility of research methods for studying broader implementation of the plan.

Main Methods:

• Prospective study using qualitative and quantitative methods.
• Physicians, older adults (≥75 years), and next of kin collaboratively created medication plans.
• Follow-up data collected on plan usability, fidelity, recruitment, retention, and data collection.

Main Results:

• Physician usability scored a median of 51.3/100; participants noted issues with functionality and relevance.
• Medication plan fidelity was moderate, with 59% of medications having documented goals.
• Recruitment rates were 75% for physicians and 70% for older adults; no adverse drug events reported.

Conclusions:

• The co-designed medication plan faced usability and fidelity challenges, necessitating prototype refinement.
• Using a low-fidelity prototype in clinical practice presented additional difficulties.
• Combining qualitative and quantitative methods effectively captured patient safety perspectives; evaluation methods need further refinement.