Connecting the disconnected: Leveraging an in-home team member for video visits for older adults.

BACKGROUND: Older adults are interested and able to complete video visits, but often require coaching and practice to succeed. Data show a widening digital divide between older and younger adults using video visits. We conducted a qualitative feasibility study to investigate these gaps via ethnographic methods, including a team member in older participants' homes. METHODS: This ethnographic feasibility study included a virtual medication reconciliation visit with a clinical pharmacist for Veterans aged 65 and older taking 5 or more medications. An in-home study team member joined the participant and recorded observations in structured fieldnotes derived from the Updated Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research and Age-Friendly Health Systems. Fieldnotes included behind-the-scenes facilitators, barriers, and solutions to challenges before and during the visits. We conducted a thematic analysis of these observations and matched themes to implementation solutions from the Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change. RESULTS: Twenty participants completed a video visit. Participants were 74 years old (range 68-80) taking 12 daily medications (range 7-24). Challenges occurred in half of the visits and took the in-home team member and/or pharmacist an average of 10 minutes to troubleshoot. Challenges included notable new findings, such as that half of the participants required technology assistance for challenges that would not have been able to be solved by the pharmacist virtually. Furthermore, although many participants had a device or had used video visits before, some did not have a single device with video, audio, Internet, and access to their email username and password. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians may apply these evidence-based implementation solutions to their approach to video visits with older adults, including having a team member join the visit before the clinician, involving tech-savvy family members, ensuring the device works with the visit platform ahead of time, and creating a troubleshooting guide from our common challenges.

Medication Optimization for New Initiators of Empagliflozin for Diabetic Kidney Disease.

Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are recommended agents for the treatment of diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Additionally, SGLT2 inhibitors lower blood glucose, decrease blood pressure, and can be useful for volume management. For these reasons, we hypothesized that initiating SGLT2 inhibitor therapy may be associated with deprescribing of other medications in patients with DKD. We compared medication lists at SGLT2 inhibitor initiation and 6 months post-initiation in 21 patients with DKD who were followed in our interprofessional outpatient nephrology clinic to evaluate deprescribing patterns in diabetes, hypertension, and diuretic medications. Six months of SGLT2 inhibitor therapy in patients with DKD was associated with deprescribing of high-risk diabetes agents, antihypertensives, and loop diuretics with minimal changes in A1C and fewer adverse events.

Improving Medication Reconciliation with Comprehensive Evaluation at a Veterans Affairs Skilled Nursing Facility.

BACKGROUND: Unintentional medication discrepancies due to inadequate medication reconciliation pose a threat to patient safety. Skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) are an important care setting where patients are vulnerable to unintentional medication discrepancies due to increased medical complexity and care transitions. This study describes a quality improvement (QI) approach to improve medication reconciliation in an SNF setting as part of the Multi-Center Medication Reconciliation Quality Improvement Study 2 (MARQUIS2). METHODS: This study was conducted at a 112-bed US Department of Veterans Affairs SNF. The researchers used several QI methods, including data benchmarking, stakeholder surveys, process mapping, and a Healthcare Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (HFMEA) to complete comprehensive baseline assessments. RESULTS: Baseline assessments revealed that medication reconciliation processes were error-prone, with high rates of medication discrepancies. Provider surveys and process mapping revealed extremely labor-intensive and highly complex processes lacking standardization. Factors contributing were polypharmacy, limited resources, electronic health record limitations, and patient exposure to multiple care transitions. HFMEA enabled a methodical approach to identify and address challenges. The team validated the best possible medication history (BPMH) process for hospital settings as outlined by MARQUIS2 for the SNF setting and found it necessary to use additional medication lists to account for multiple care transitions. CONCLUSION: SNFs represent a critical setting for medication reconciliation efforts due to challenges completing the reconciliation process and the concomitant high risk of adverse drug events in this population. Initial baseline assessments effectively identified existing problems and can be used to guide targeted interventions.

Pharmacologic Considerations for Opioid Use in Kidney Disease.

Individuals with kidney disease have a high prevalence of chronic noncancer pain. Although opioids are not a recommended treatment option for chronic noncancer pain in the general population, a higher percentage of individuals with kidney disease receive opioid prescriptions for chronic pain. Individuals with kidney disease have an increased risk for opioid adverse events because of changes related to kidney disease progression, normative aging, and the pharmacology of opioid medications. Despite the frequent prescription of opioids for chronic noncancer pain among those with kidney disease, there are no guidelines for opioid management in this population. This article reviews the pharmacologic challenges of opioid use in relation to the physiologic changes occurring in kidney disease and normative aging. We highlight how understanding opioid pharmacology and human physiology can support safe practices of opioid management in patients with kidney disease who require opioids for chronic noncancer pain.

Opioid Use in the Nondialysis Chronic Kidney Disease Population.

Although pain is a common and burdensome condition in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), little is known about the use and safety of opioids in this patient population. Recommendations regarding opioid use in patients with CKD are based on pharmacokinetic data, extrapolation from non-CKD studies, and from clinical experience. Given the potential increased risk for opioid-related adverse events in patients with reduced kidney function, health care providers may be hesitant to prescribe opioids, resulting in inadequate pain control. This review summarizes current studies of opioid use in patients with CKD, highlights special considerations, and proposes an opioid prescribing strategy for this unique patient population. Specifically, oral hydromorphone, transdermal fentanyl, and buprenorphine should be considered as the first-line opioids for patients with CKD if opioid management is indicated. A stepwise approach such as the Screen-Quantify-Use opioids-Adjust-Reassess-Engage prescribing strategy proposed here is critical to ensure optimal pain control while minimizing the side effects and adverse events of opioids. The effects of opioids on clinically relevant outcomes in the CKD population remains to be explored in future studies.

There's no place like home-Integrating a pharmacist into the hospital-in-home model.

BACKGROUND: Hospital-in-home (HIH) is an innovative model that provides hospital-level care in a patient's home. Pharmacists can enhance the HIH model through medication reconciliation and medication optimization. OBJECTIVES: To integrate a clinical pharmacist into the HIH model and to conduct a formative evaluation of pharmacist contributions, including medication discrepancy resolution, cost savings, and cost avoidance. PRACTICE DESCRIPTION: This is a prospective quality improvement study conducted at the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System. PRACTICE INNOVATION: We integrated a pharmacist into the HIH model. The pharmacist conducted a medication reconciliation at hospital discharge and after discharge through home video telehealth and provided longitudinal medication management. EVALUATION METHODS: We adapted the PRECEDE-PROCEED model to guide program implementation. We conducted a formative evaluation using the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance framework, evaluating the reach, efficacy, adoption, and implementation of the pharmacist in the HIH team. We calculated cost savings associated with pharmacist-managed home intravenous (IV) therapy, cost avoidance from deprescribing, and cost avoidance from earlier hospital discharge. RESULTS: The HIH program enrolled 102 patients from May 2019 to March 2020. The pharmacist completed 99 (97%) discharge and 95 (93%) postdischarge medication reconciliations, most of which 71 (75%) were conducted using home video telehealth. The pharmacist identified and resolved a total of 453 medication discrepancies: 181 (40%) at discharge and 272 (60%) during postdischarge medication reconciliation. A total of 84 (19%) discrepancies were considered high risk. The pharmacist managed 104 days of home IV therapy, resulting in a cost savings of approximately $17,000. The cost avoided by identifying and deprescribing 145 inappropriate medications was approximately $51,000. The cost avoided by earlier hospital discharge was $1.2 million. CONCLUSION: Integrating a pharmacist into the HIH model enables the detection and resolution of medication discrepancies. Cost savings from medication deprescribing, cost avoided from pharmacist-managed home IV therapy, and cost avoided from early hospital discharge totaled $1268 million.

A Pilot Study Embedding Clinical Pharmacists Within an Interprofessional Nephrology Clinic for the Initiation and Monitoring of Empagliflozin in Diabetic Kidney Disease.

BACKGROUND: The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors as the second medication to be started, after metformin, for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors may cause volume, blood pressure, and electrolyte disturbances; consequently, frequent monitoring and adjustments to other diabetes, blood pressure, and/or diuretic medications may be necessary. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of an interprofessional clinic model partnering nephrologists and pharmacists for the initiation and monitoring of SGLT2 inhibitors. METHODS: A clinical pharmacist was embedded within the nephrology clinic to provide patient education, telephone follow-up, and to work collaboratively with the nephrologists. Diabetes, hypertension, and diuretic regimens were adjusted as needed after empagliflozin initiation. Diabetes regimens were adjusted to adhere to the 2019 ADA guidelines that promote agents with CKD and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease benefit. RESULTS: Fourteen patients were initiated on empagliflozin during the study period. Urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) improved (mean % change -12% ± 61%); the mean percentage change was greater in patients with a higher baseline UACR. The mean change in hemoglobin A1c was 0.3% ± 0.6%. Common adverse reactions were observed and improved over time; no serious adverse drug reactions occurred. Finally, empagliflozin initiation necessitated adjustments to diabetes, hypertension, and diuretic regimens in almost all patients (n = 13, 93%). CONCLUSION: The implementation of an innovative, interprofessional care model within a nephrology clinic for the initiation and monitoring of empagliflozin in patients with DKD demonstrated clinical benefit with minimal safety concerns.

Rapid Integration of Home Telehealth Visits Amidst COVID-19: What Do Older Adults Need to Succeed?

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to identify and address patient-perceived barriers to integrating home telehealth visits. DESIGN: We used an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design to conduct patient needs assessments, a home telehealth pilot, and formative evaluation of the pilot. SETTING: Veterans Affairs geriatrics-renal clinic. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with scheduled clinic visits from October 2019 to April 2020. MEASUREMENTS: We conducted an in-person needs assessment and telephone postvisit interviews. RESULTS: Through 50 needs assessments, we identified patient-perceived barriers in interest, access to care, access to technology, and confidence. A total of 34 (68%) patients were interested in completing a home telehealth visit, but fewer (32 (64%)) had access to the necessary technology or were confident (21 (42%)) that they could participate. We categorized patients into four phenotypes based on their interest and capability to complete a home telehealth visit: interested and capable, interested and incapable, uninterested and capable, and uninterested and incapable. These phenotypes allowed us to create trainings to overcome patient-perceived barriers. We completed 32 home telehealth visits and 12 postvisit interviews. Our formative evaluation showed that our pilot was successful in addressing many patient-perceived barriers. All interviewees reported that the home telehealth visits improved their well-being. Home telehealth visits saved participants an average of 166 minutes of commute time. Five participants borrowed a device from a family member, and five visits were finished via telephone. All participants successfully completed a home telehealth visit. CONCLUSIONS: We identified patient-perceived barriers to home telehealth visits and classified patients into four phenotypes based on these barriers. Using principles of implementation science, our home telehealth pilot addressed these barriers, and all patients successfully completed a visit. Future study is needed to understand methods to deploy larger-scale efforts to integrate home telehealth visits into the care of older adults.

Opioid Management in Older Adults with Chronic Kidney Disease: A Review.

Chronic pain, a common comorbidity of chronic kidney disease, is consistently under-recognized and difficult to treat in older adults with nondialysis chronic kidney disease. Given the decreased kidney function associated with aging and chronic kidney disease, these patients are at increased risk for drug accumulation and adverse events. Emerging research has demonstrated the efficacy of opioids in chronic kidney disease patients, but research specifically focusing on older, nondialysis chronic kidney disease patients is scarce. The primary objective of this review is to determine which oral and transdermal opioids are the safest for older, nondialysis chronic kidney disease patients. We discuss the limited existing evidence on opioid prescription in older, nondialysis chronic kidney disease patients and provide recommendations for the management of oral and transdermal opioids in this patient population. Specifically, transdermal buprenorphine, transdermal fentanyl, and oral hydromorphone are the most tolerable opioids in these patients; hydrocodone, oxycodone, and methadone are useful but require careful monitoring; and tramadol, codeine, morphine, and meperidine should be avoided due to risk of accumulation and adverse events. Because older adults with nondialysis chronic kidney disease are at increased risk for adverse events, vigilant monitoring of opioid prescription is critical. Lastly, collaboration among an interprofessional clinical team can ensure safe prescription of opioids in older adults with nondialysis chronic kidney disease.

The missing piece: Clinical pharmacists enhancing the interprofessional nephrology clinic model.

OBJECTIVES: To embed pharmacy residents in an interprofessional nephrology clinic to conduct medication reconciliation in targeted high-risk patients with nondialysis kidney disease. SETTING: This pilot was a prospective quality improvement initiative conducted in an interprofessional outpatient nephrology clinic. PRACTICE DESCRIPTION: The nephrology clinic team includes nephrology providers, a social worker, and a geriatrician. The team is responsible for the management of conditions such as nondialysis kidney disease, resistant hypertension, acute kidney injury, proteinuria, and nephropathy. EVALUATION: Primary outcomes included the number and type of medication discrepancies and drug therapy problems identified. Secondary outcomes included the changes in care process directly resulting from the pharmacy residents' recommendations. The perceived value of the pharmacy residents to the interprofessional team was assessed through postintervention anonymous surveys and semistructured interviews. RESULTS: The pharmacy residents conducted 118 visits for 87 unique patients (mean age 73 years, 97% male) with nondialysis kidney disease (89% stages III-V), polypharmacy (87% of patients taking > 10 medications), and a heavy comorbidity burden (85% hypertension, 80% dyslipidemia, 59% diabetes mellitus type II) from January to October 2017. Pharmacists identified 344 medication discrepancies and 301 drug therapy problems, resulting in 398 changes in care process. The most frequently identified discrepancies and drug therapy problems were the omission of an active medication from the medication list (86 of 344 discrepancies, 25%) and potentially inappropriate medications (106 of 301 drug therapy problems, 35%). Pharmacists recommended 228 medication changes, provided 76 adherence devices, facilitated 24 consults or referrals, and communicated with the primary care team on 70 occasions. The interprofessional team members all strongly agreed that patients and the team benefited from the pharmacists' involvement. CONCLUSION: Pharmacy resident-led medication reconciliation resulted in the identification and resolution of medication discrepancies and drug therapy problems, leading to changes in the care process.

Geriatrics 5Ms for Primary Care Workshop.

Introduction: The Geriatrics 5Ms provide a novel framework for caring for older adults that directly maps to the current Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) core competencies in geriatrics for internal and family medicine residents. Using the 5Ms framework of Mobility, Medications, Mind, Multicomplexity, and Matters Most, we conducted a workshop for residents in a primary care clinic to improve care of older adults. Methods: Through Kern's six-step approach to curriculum development, we used our needs assessment and stakeholder interviews to guide development of a half-day Geriatrics 5Ms workshop for residents in primary care. The workshop was piloted with 33 internal medicine residents and included interactive modules and point-of-care tools for each of the Geriatrics 5Ms centered on a longitudinal primary care patient case. Results: Initial evaluation of the workshop showed high satisfaction and indicated residents appreciated learning about point-of-care tools for primary care, particularly for cognitive assessment, prognosticating, and deprescribing. Of the learners completing the workshop, 75% reported high self-efficacy ratings (score > 3.5) on the Geriatrics 5Ms domains, compared to only 40% of control learners and 20% of learners completing the preworkshop needs assessment. Discussion: A longitudinal, interactive, case-based workshop using the Geriatrics 5Ms framework improved primary care residents' self-efficacy and knowledge of tools in the care of older adults and geriatric competencies outlined by the ACGME. The workshop offers an innovative and efficient method to teach geriatrics to residents in primary care and prepare them to care for an aging population.

Finding the Sweet Spot: An Interactive Workshop on Diabetes Management in Older Adults.

Introduction: Intensive glucose lowering in older adults with diabetes leads to increased risks with minimal benefits. Surveys indicate that clinician confidence for individualizing glycemic goals and regimens remains low. We created an interactive workshop and clinical tool kit to improve clinician knowledge of safe diabetes management in older adults. Methods: Finding the Sweet Spot was a 1-hour workshop taught by pharmacists to medical and pharmacy learners that introduced a five-step framework for diabetes management in older adults. The interactive presentation included cases and a clinical tool kit based on current recommendations from the American Diabetes Association and American Geriatrics Society. Pilot workshops were held for 6 months, allowing for real-time revisions based on feedback; final implementation occurred for 6 months thereafter. We evaluated learner self-efficacy (via a 5-point Likert scale) and knowledge (via multiple-choice questions) of diabetes management in older adults before and after the workshop. Results: Thirty learners participated in Finding the Sweet Spot (70% medicine, 30% pharmacy). The percentage of confident learners increased from 55% to 97% (p < .05) after the workshop. All learners demonstrated improvements in knowledge, with the mean score on the knowledge assessment increasing from 61% to 80% (p < .05). Via open-ended feedback, learners expressed satisfaction and found the clinical tool kit especially helpful. Discussion: Our Finding the Sweet Spot workshop demonstrated statistically significant changes in self-efficacy and knowledge among learners, indicating that this interactive workshop improves medical and pharmacy provider confidence and skills in caring for older adults with diabetes.

Brown Bag Simulation to Improve Medication Management in Older Adults.

Introduction: Medical students must care for aging patients with growing medication lists and need training to address negative patient outcomes associated with polypharmacy. The literature shows that many trainees and practitioners are not confident in their abilities to care for this older population with complex medical conditions. We created an innovative simulation activity to teach safe, effective, and simplified medication management to second-year medical students. Methods: We developed the brown bag medication reconciliation simulation to improve self-efficacy and knowledge for trainees working with older adults. The case example was an older patient who presented with his brown bag of medications and prefilled pillbox for a medication reconciliation with his provider. Teams of medical students identified his medication-management errors and determined strategies for resolution. We assessed learner self-efficacy, knowledge, and satisfaction. Results: A class of 137 second-year medical students completed the simulation. The average number of learners confident about medication management in older adults increased overall by 41%, with a significant increase across all four self-efficacy domains (p < .001). The average percentage of correctly answered knowledge questions significantly increased from 85% on the presurvey to 92% on the delayed postsurvey (p = .009). Learner open-ended feedback indicated high satisfaction with the simulation. Discussion: The brown bag medication reconciliation simulation increased medical student self-efficacy and knowledge related to medication reconciliation and management for older adults. Interactive simulations like this one may be considered for inclusion in health science curricula to improve skills in medication reconciliation and management.

The Role of Deprescribing in Older Adults with Chronic Kidney Disease.

Older adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD) often experience polypharmacy, a recognized predictor of prescribing problems including inappropriately dosed medications, drug-drug and drug-disease interactions, morbidity and mortality. Polypharmacy is also associated with nonadherence, which leads to recurrent hospitalizations and poorer hemodialysis outcomes in CKD patients. Further complicating medication management in this vulnerable population are the physiologic changes that occur with both age and CKD. This guide for pharmacists and prescribers offers considerations in medication evaluation and management among older adults with CKD. Careful prescribing with the aid of tools such as the American Geriatrics Society Beers Criteria can support safe medication use and appropriate prescribing. Polypharmacy may be systematically addressed through 'deprescribing,' an evidence-based process that enables identification and elimination of unnecessary or inappropriate medications. Detailed guidance for deprescribing in older adults with CKD has not been published previously. We highlight three specific targets for medication optimization and deprescribing in older adults with CKD: (1) proton pump inhibitors, (2) oral hypoglycemic agents, including newer classes of agents, and (3) statins. These medication classes have been chosen as they represent three of the most commonly prescribed classes of medications in the United States. For each area, we review considerations for medication use in older adults with CKD and provide strategies to avoid, modify, or discontinue these medications when clinically indicated. By utilizing deprescribing techniques, pharmacists are well positioned to help decrease the medication burden in older adults with CKD, thereby potentially reducing the risk of morbidity and mortality associated with polypharmacy.

Brain Over Bladder: A Systematic Review of Dual Cholinesterase Inhibitor and Urinary Anticholinergic Use.

BACKGROUND: Case reports have demonstrated that dual use of cholinesterase inhibitors (ChIs) and urinary anticholinergics (UAChs) in older adults may be associated with delusions, aggression, changes in cognition, and anxiety, which typically resolve on drug discontinuation. Despite opposing mechanisms of action, these drugs continue to be co-prescribed. OBJECTIVE: This systematic review evaluates cognitive and functional outcomes of dual use of ChIs and UAChs and describes its prevalence. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A literature search using terms related to ChIs and UAChs was conducted. Observational or interventional studies evaluating cognitive or functional outcomes in subjects receiving dual therapy were included for the primary aim. Articles describing prevalence of dual use were included for the secondary aim. RESULTS: Of 1340 unique results, five studies met the inclusion criteria for the primary aim. Four of the studies assessed cognitive outcomes-three failed to identify a significant difference in cognitive function with dual use and the fourth study observed a statistically significant improvement in cognition with dual use of high-dose donepezil and solifenacin when compared with baseline. Three studies assessed functional outcomes-one revealed a 50% greater quarterly decline in activities of daily living (p = 0.01) among dual users functioning in the top quartile, another revealed significant functional improvement in dual users, and the final study did not demonstrate a significant difference. Seventeen articles were included for the secondary aim. Prevalence of dual use ranged from 1.2 to 40.5%. CONCLUSION: This systematic review revealed a high prevalence of dual use of ChIs and UAChs; however, there are mixed results for cognitive and functional outcomes. Results were limited by methodological flaws. Observational or interventional studies assessing dual users are lacking and further study of cognitive and functional risks of dual ChI and UACh use is needed.