| An intervention to support pharmacist led deprescribing in primary careIntroduction: Stopping medications (“deprescribing”), is just as important as starting medications. Maintaining the most appropriate medication use is challenging and time consuming for primary care providers, as patients require education and support for successful deprescribing.
Objective: The goal of this project is to develop, implement and evaluate a practical, feasible, and acceptable intervention for pharmacists in integrated primary healthcare teams to support deprescribing.
Methods: A research team was assembled that included 20 researchers, clinicians, and policymakers and six patient and caregiver representatives. This team met for a two-day facilitated meeting with follow-up communication via email to develop a deprescribing intervention for implementation in primary care sites, including nursing homes, that have a team pharmacist.
Results: The deprescribing intervention is based on a framework of communication and education. Deprescribing is to be pharmcist-led and to follow well recognized expert sources. A curated toolbox of resources for both patients and healthcare professionals supports the deprescribing of eight classes of medications (benzodiazepines, sedatives, antipsychotics, strong anticholinergics, proton pump inhibitors, colchicine, antihypertensives in patients with a history of falling, and opioids). The toolbox can be accessed online at FewerMedsLessRisk.ca. Pharmacist support will be tailored to meet the needs of the patient to help achieve deprescribing goals.
Conclusions: A diverse team has created a pharmacist led deprescribing intervention to support deprescribing to improve medication appropriateness for older adults in primary care. The intervention is being trialed at 3 primary healthcare sites across Nova Scotia and New Brunswick and 3 nursing homes in New Brunswick.CAT2017-10 Horizon Health Network, Maritime SPOR SUPPORT Unit, Horizon Health Network, New Brunswick, Dalhousie University, Dalhousie University, College of Pharmacy and Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University | Publication | 2019-10-25 | |
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