Sander D. Borgsteede

Effect of Medication Reconciliation With and Without Patient Counseling on the Number of Pharmaceutical Interventions Among Patients Discharged from the Hospital

Background Hospital admissions are a risk factor for the occurrence of unintended medication discrepancies between drugs used before admission and after discharge. To diminish such discrepancies and improve quality of care, medication reconciliation has been developed. The exact contribution of patient counseling to the medication reconciliation process is unknown, especially not when compared with community pharmacy medication records, which are considered reliable in the Netherlands. Objective To examine the effect of medication reconciliation with and without patient counseling among patients at the time of hospital discharge on the number and type of interventions aimed at preventing drug-related problems. Methods A prospective observational study in a general teaching hospital was performed. Patients discharged from the pulmonology department were included. A pharmacy team assessed the interventions with and without patient counseling on discharge medications for each patient. Results Two hundred sixty-two patients were included. Medication reconciliation without patient counseling was responsible for at least one intervention in 87% of patients (mean 2.7 interventions/patient). After patient counseling, at least one intervention (mean 5.3 interventions/patient) was performed in 97% of patients. After patient counseling, discharge prescriptions were frequently adjusted due to discrepancies in use or need of drug therapy. Most interventions led to the start of medication due to omission and dose changes due to incorrect dosages being prescribed. Patients also addressed their problems/concerns with use of the drug, which were discussed before discharge. Conclusions Significantly more interventions were identified after patient counseling. Therefore, patient information is essential in medication reconciliation.

Symptoms in patients receiving palliative care: a study on patient-physician encounters in general practice

Most people with an incurable disease prefer to stay and die at home, cared for by their general practitioner (GP). This paper aims at describing the prevalence of symptoms in patients receiving palliative care at home. Within the framework of a nation wide survey of general practice in the Netherlands, GPs received a questionnaire for all patients who died within the 1-year survey period to determine whether patients received palliative care (n = 2194). The response rate was 73% (n = 1608), and 38% of these patients received palliative care until death. Information regarding encounters during the last 3 months of life was derived from the records kept by the GPs. Digestive symptoms (59%) and pain (56%) were the most prevalent. The total number of symptoms per patient was higher in cancer patients (11.99) than in non-cancer patients (7.62). Not reported in previous studies were musculoskeletal symptoms (20%) and chronic ulcer (18%). Concluding, this showed that Dutch GPs encounter a diversity and wide range of symptoms in palliative care. To face these complex challenges in patients receiving palliative care at home, GPs have to be trained as well as supported by specialized palliative care consultants. Pallative Medicine 2007; 21: 417—423

Interdisciplinary cooperation of GPs in palliative care at home: A nationwide survey in the Netherlands

Objective. To investigate the occurrence and predictors of interdisciplinary cooperation of GPs with other caregivers in palliative care at home. Design. In a prospective study among 96 general practices, the GPs involved identified all dying patients during the study period of 12 months. The GPs received an additional post-mortem questionnaire for each patient who died during the study period, and registered the healthcare providers with whom they cooperated. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify the predictors of GP cooperation with other caregivers. Setting. Second Dutch National Survey in General Practice. Subjects. A total of 743 patients who received palliative care according to their GP. Main outcome measures. Interdisciplinary cooperation between GP and other healthcare providers. Results. During the study period, 2194 patients died. GPs returned 1771 (73%) of the questionnaires. According to the GPs, 743 (46%) of their patients received palliative care. In 98% of these palliative care patients, the GP cooperated with at least one other caregiver, with a mean number of four. Cooperation with informal caregivers (83%) was most prevalent, followed by cooperation with other GPs (71%) and district nurses (63%). The best predictors of cooperation between GPs and other caregivers were the patients age, the underlying disease, and the importance of psychosocial care. Conclusion. In palliative care patients, GP interdisciplinary cooperation with other caregivers is highly prevalent, especially with informal caregivers and other primary care collaborators. Cooperation is most prevalent in younger patients, patients with cancer as underlying disease, and if psychosocial care is important.

Information needs about medication according to patients discharged from a general hospital

OBJECTIVE Medication regimens change during hospital admission, and these discrepancies can lead to an increased risk of patient harm after hospital discharge. Information about medication according to the patients needs may contribute to patient safety by improvement of knowledge and adherence. The goal of this study is to explore the patients needs on information about medication at hospital discharge. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Qualitative, semi-structured interviews were performed with 31 patients from the pulmonology, internal medicine and cardiology departments who were discharged with at least one prescribed drug from the hospital to primary care in the Netherlands. Interviews were analysed with content analysis. RESULTS Patients had variable needs concerning information about discharge medication. Most patients wanted to receive basic information about their medication, alternatives for the prescribed medication and side effects. Some patients did not need basic information or explicitly mentioned that information about side effects would negatively influence their attitude towards medication. Patients preferred a combination of oral instructions and written information. CONCLUSIONS Information at discharge should be tailored to the individual needs of the patient. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS In the process of providing patient information at hospital discharge, the preference of some patients for non-disclosure of information should be recognised.

The effect of the COACH program (Continuity Of Appropriate pharmacotherapy, patient Counselling and information transfer in Healthcare) on readmission rates in a multicultural population of internal medicine patients

BackgroundMedication errors occur frequently at points of transition in care. The key problems causing these medication errors are: incomplete and inappropriate medication reconciliation at hospital discharge (partly arising from inadequate medication reconciliation at admission), insufficient patient information (especially within a multicultural patient population) and insufficient communication to the next health care provider. Whether interventions aimed at the combination of these aspects indeed result in less discontinuity and associated harm is uncertain. Therefore the main objective of this study is to determine the effect of the COACH program (Continuity Of Appropriate pharmacotherapy, patient Counselling and information transfer in Healthcare) on readmission rates in patients discharged from the internal medicine department.Methods/DesignAn experimental study is performed at the internal medicine ward of a general teaching hospital in Amsterdam, which serves a multicultural population. In this study the effects of the COACH program is compared with usual care using a pre-post study design. All patients being admitted with at least one prescribed drug intended for chronic use are included in the study unless they meet one of the following exclusion criteria: no informed consent, no medication intended for chronic use prescribed at discharge, death, transfer to another ward or hospital, discharge within 24 hours or out of office hours, discharge to a nursing home and no possibility to counsel the patient.The intervention consists of medication reconciliation, patient counselling and communication between the hospital and primary care healthcare providers.The following outcomes are measured: the primary outcome readmissions within six months after discharge and the secondary outcomes number of interventions, adherence, patients attitude towards medicines, patients satisfaction with medication information, costs, quality of life and finally satisfaction of general practitioners and community pharmacists.Interrupted time series analysis is used for data-analysis of the primary outcome. Descriptive statistics is performed for the secondary outcomes. An economic evaluation is performed according to the intention-to-treat principle.DiscussionThis study will be able to evaluate the clinical and cost impact of a comprehensive program on continuity of care and associated patient safety.Trial registrationDutch trial register: NTR1519

Prescribing of pain medication in palliative care. A survey in general practice

To examine what pain and adjuvant medication is prescribed in palliative care patients at home in The Netherlands.

The use of opioids at the end of life: the knowledge level of Dutch physicians as a potential barrier to effective pain management

BackgroundPain is still one of the most frequently occurring symptoms at the end of life, although it can be treated satisfactorily in most cases if the physician has adequate knowledge. In the Netherlands, almost 60% of the patients with non-acute illnesses die at home where end of life care is coordinated by the general practitioner (GP); about 30% die in hospitals (cared for by clinical specialists), and about 10% in nursing homes (cared for by elderly care physicians).The research question of this study is: what is the level of knowledge of Dutch physicians concerning pain management and the use of opioids at the end of life?MethodsA written questionnaire was sent to a random sample of physicians of specialties most often involved in end of life care in the Netherlands. The questionnaire was completed by 406 physicians, response rate 41%.ResultsAlmost all physicians were aware of the most basal knowledge about opioids, e.g. that it is important for treatment purposes to distinguish nociceptive from neuropathic pain (97%). Approximately half of the physicians (46%) did not know that decreased renal function raises plasma concentration of morphine(-metabolites) and 34% of the clinical specialists erroneously thought opioids are the favoured drug for palliative sedation.Although 91% knew that opioids titrated against pain do not shorten life, 10% sometimes or often gave higher dosages than needed with the explicit aim to hasten death. About half felt sometimes or often pressured by relatives to hasten death by increasing opioiddosage.The large majority (83%) of physicians was interested in additional education about subjects related to the end of life, the most popular subject was opioid rotation (46%).ConclusionsAlthough the basic knowledge of physicians was adequate, there seemed to be a lack of knowledge in several areas, which can be a barrier for good pain management at the end of life. From this study four areas emerge, in which it seems likely that an improvement can improve the quality of pain management at the end of life for many patients in the Netherlands: 1)palliative sedation; 2)expected effect of opioids on survival; and 3) opioid rotation.

Factors related to high and low levels of drug adherence according to patients with type 2 diabetes

Objective Adherence to medication in patients with type 2 diabetes varies widely, yet the factors that influence adherence according to patients are not fully known. The aim of this study is to explore both factors related to high and lower levels of adherence that patients with type 2 diabetes experienced in their medication use. Setting Primary care in the Netherlands. Method Qualitative, semi-structured interviews were performed in 20 patients with type 2 diabetes. Interviews were audio-taped and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were coded and analysed using content analysis and constant comparison. Main outcome measure experiences and opinions of patients concerning factors related to high and lower levels of adherence. Results Comparable aspects influenced drug adherence in more and less adherent patients. Four aspects that influenced adherence to medication emerged from the interviews: (1) information about the prescribed medication, (2) experience with medication and complications with use, (3) social support for medication behaviour and (4) routines in medication behaviour. Experience with medication and social support for medication behaviour were related to high levels of adherence in some patients, and to lower levels of adherence in others. Complicated medication regimens were mainly related to lower adherence, while social support and routines in medication behaviour were related to higher adherence. Conclusions Routines in medication behaviour were related to higher drug adherence. Patient education should not only address information about the disease and medication, but also more practical issues concerning drug intake. Hence, to improve drug adherence in patients with type 2 diabetes, pharmaceutical care might be aimed at the counselling of patients to organise drug use in their daily schedule.

Trends in the use of opioids at the end of life and the expected effects on hastening death

The aim of our study was to describe trends in opioid use and perceptions of having hastened the end of life of a patient. In 2005, a questionnaire was sent to 6860 physicians in The Netherlands who had attended a death. The response rate was 78%. In 1995 and 2001 similar studies were done. Physicians less often administered opioids with the intention to hasten death in 2005 (3.1% of the non-sudden deaths) than in 2001 and in 1995 (7% and 10%, respectively). Physicians gave similar dosages of opioids in 2005, 2001, and 1995, but physicians in 2005 less often thought that life was actually shortened than in 2001 and 1995 (37% in 2005, 50% in 2001, and 53% in 1995). Of the physicians in 2005 who did think that the life of the patient was shortened by opioids, 94% did not give higher dosages than were, in their own opinion, required for pain and symptom management. Physicians in 2005 more often took hastening death into account when they gave higher dosages of opioids when the patient experienced more severe symptoms and with female patients. In older patients (>or=80 years), physicians took the hastening of death into account more often, but the actual dosages of opioids were lower. These data indicate that physicians in The Netherlands less often thought that death was hastened by opioids and less often gave opioids, with the intention to hasten death in 2005 than in 2001 and 1995.

The burden and management of cytochrome P450 2D6 (CYP2D6)-mediated drug–drug interaction (DDI): Co-medication of metoprolol and paroxetine or fluoxetine in the elderly

Metoprolol and paroxetine/fluoxetine are inevitably co‐prescribed because cardiovascular disorders and depression often coexist in the elderly. This leads to CYP2D6‐mediated drug–drug interactions (DDI). Because systematic evaluations are lacking, we assessed the burden of metoprolol–paroxetine/fluoxetine interaction in the elderly and how these interactions are managed in Dutch community pharmacies.