Managing medication around transfers
A group of Melbourne researchers are developing a new model of care to improve continuity of medication administration when older people are transferred from hospitals to residential aged care.
A team of Melbourne researchers is embarking on a project to improve the continuity of medication management for older patients transferring between hospitals and aged care facilities.
The group estimates that as many as one in four people who transfer from the acute system to residential aged care either miss medication doses or experience significant delays in receiving drugs.
Principal investigator, Rohan Elliot from Monash University’s Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences said the medication mix-ups could be attributed to differences in care systems, staff qualifications and medication supply arrangements.
“Delays in the administration of prescribed medicines can adversely impact on an older person’s quality of life and the effectiveness of their medical treatment and can even lead to hospital re-admission,” Mr Elliott said.
“This is particularly problematic when residents return to an aged care home for palliative care, when the timely availability of painkillers is critical.”
The project will use a software module that generates discharge information and interim medication charts to ensure continuity of administration.
“This will reduce the pressure on aged care home staff, general practitioners and community pharmacists in the period following resident arrival, and more importantly deliver a much better outcome for the patient,” Mr Elliott said.
The project will take place in three hospitals across two health networks in a bid to make the procedure replicable.
