Medication Changes on Discharge from Acute Care to Hospice (TH371A)

• Published in: Journal of pain and symptom management Vol. 53; no. 2; pp. 347 - 348
• Main Authors: Furuno, Jon, PhD, Noble, Brie, BS, Izumi, Seiko, PhD RN, Kadoyama, Kirsten, BA, McPherson, Mary Lynn, PharmD BCPS CPE, Tjia, Jennifer, MD MSCE, Candrian, Carey, PhD, Fromme, Erik, MD MSCRFAAHPM
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Madison Elsevier Inc 01.02.2017; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Acute services; Anesthesia & Perioperative Care; Aspirin; Changes; Deviation; Discharge; Discharge summaries; Discontinued; Drug therapy; Drugs; Hospice care; Missing data; Morphine; Pain Medicine
• ISSN: 0885-3924; 1873-6513
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2016.12.091

An abstract of a study by Furuno et al quantifying the frequency and documentation of medication orders for patients discharged from acute care to hospice care is presented. Among 1,499 discharges to hospice, the mean (standard (deviation) number of medications patients were receiving was 7.2 (4.8) and this number increased by 0.34 mediations/year over the study period, P < 0.001. Review of 96 discharge summaries (4 were excluded because of missing data) identified 1,466 medication decisions (mean=15.3 decisions per discharge summary) of which 441 (30%) were to continue medications without changes, 103 (7%) were to continue medications but with changes, 458 (31%) were to start new medications, and 464 (32%) were to discontinue existing medications. Among medications that were initiated or changed, morphine was the most frequent new medication (7%) and aspirin was the most frequently discontinued medication (5%). Only 38% of medication changes had a documented rationale for the change.