Stefanie Hamacher

Priority Setting and Influential Factors on Acceptance of Pharmaceutical Recommendations in Collaborative Medication Reviews in an Ambulatory Care Setting – Analysis of a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial (WestGem-Study)

Background Medication reviews are recognized services to increase quality of therapy and reduce medication risks. The selection of eligible patients with potential to receive a major benefit is based on assumptions rather than on factual data. Acceptance of interprofessional collaboration is crucial to increase the quality of medication therapy. Objective The research question was to identify and prioritize eligible patients for a medication review and to provide evidence-based criteria for patient selection. Acceptance of the prescribing general practitioner to implement pharmaceutical recommendations was measured and factors influencing physicians’ acceptance were explored to obtain an impression on the extent of collaboration in medication review in an ambulatory care setting. Methods Based on data of a cluster-randomized controlled study (WestGem-study), the correlation between patient parameters and the individual performance in a medication review was calculated in a multiple logistic regression model. Physician’s acceptance of the suggested intervention was assessed using feedback forms. Influential factors were analyzed. Results The number of drugs in use (p = 0.001), discrepancies between prescribed and used medicines (p = 0.014), the baseline Medication Appropriateness Index score (p<0.001) and the duration of the intervention (p = 0.006) could be identified as influential factors for a major benefit from a medication review, whereas morbidity (p>0.05) and a low kidney function (p>0.05) do not predetermine the outcome. Longitudinal patient care with repeated reviews showed higher interprofessional acceptance and superior patient benefit. A total of 54.9% of the recommendations in a medication review on drug therapy were accepted for implementation. Conclusions The number of drugs in use and medication reconciliation could be a first rational step in patient selection for a medication review. Most elderly, multimorbid patients with polymedication experience a similar chance of receiving a benefit from a medication review. Longitudinal patient care should be preferred over confined medication reviews. The acceptance of medication reviews by physicians supports further implementation into health care systems. Trial Registration ISRCTN ISRCTN41595373

Silent night: retrospective database study assessing possibility of "weekend effect" in palliative care.

Objective To compare the mortality of patients in a palliative care unit on working days with that on weekends and public holidays. Design Retrospective database study. Setting Palliative care unit in Germany. Population All admissions to palliative care unit between 1 January 1997 and 31 December 2008. Main outcome measure The impact of day type (working days or weekends and public holidays) on mortality was analysed using Poisson regression models. Results A total of 2565 admitted patients and 1325 deaths were recorded. Of the deaths, 448 (33.8%) occurred on weekends and public holidays. The mortality rate on weekends and public holidays was 18% higher than that on working days (mortality rate ratio 1.18, 95% confidence interval 1.05 to 1.32; P=0.005). Conclusion Patients in the palliative care unit were at higher risk of dying on weekends and public holidays. In the absence of a prospective study, the exact reasons for this correlation are unclear.

Prevalence of mental disorders among depressed coronary patients with and without Type D personality. Results of the multi-center SPIRR-CAD trial

OBJECTIVE Type D personality, as with formal mental disorders, is linked to increased mortality in coronary heart disease (CHD). Our aim was to determine the prevalence of mental disorders among depressed CHD patients with and without Type D personality. METHODS Depressive symptoms (HADS, HAM-D), Type D personality (DS-14) and mental disorders based on DSM-IV (SCID I and II) were assessed. Results were calculated by Kruskal-Wallis tests, Fishers exact tests and logistic regression analyses. RESULTS 570 CHD patients were included (age 59.2±9.5years; male 78.9%, HADS-D depression 10.4±2.5; HAM-D 11.3±6.6; Type D 60.1%). 84.8% of patients with Type D personality and 79.3% of non-Type D patients suffered from at least one mental disorder (p=0.092), while 41.8% of Type D positives and 27.8% of Type D negatives had at least two mental disorders (p=0.001). Patients with Type D personality significantly more often had social phobia [odds ratio (95% confidence interval): 3.79 (1.1 to 13.12); p=0.035], dysthymia [1.78 (1.12 to 2.84); p=0.015], compulsive [2.25 (1.04 to 4.86); p=0.038] or avoidant [8.95 (2.08 to 38.49); p=0.003] personality disorder. CONCLUSIONS Type D personality among depressed CHD patients is associated with more complex and enduring mental disorders. This implies higher treatment demands. TRIAL REGISTRATION ISRCTN 76240576; NCT00705965.