A cross-sectional comparison of prevalent diagnoses and medication profiles for residents in an assisted living facility at two time periods.

OBJECTIVES: Describe the prevalence of diagnoses and prescribed medications in an assisted living facility for one month in 2001 and 2004. DESIGN: A descriptive, cross-sectional report. SETTING: An assisted living facility in Seattle, Washington. PARTICIPANTS: Assisted living facility residents. INTERVENTIONS: In March 2001 and January 2004, charts of all the assisted living facility residents were reviewed. Cross-sectional comparisons of demographics, total and average numbers of charted diagnoses, and prescribed medications were conducted. Prevalent diagnoses and medications used were identified. Among the residents present in both periods, longitudinal comparisons of treatment outcomes for hypertension (HTN) and diabetes mellitus (DM) were assessed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Changes in demographics, diagnoses, medications, and blood pressure and blood glucose readings. RESULTS: Charts of 52 (2001) and 54 (2004) residents were reviewed. HTN, DM, and gastrointestinal (GI) disease were the most prevalent diagnoses during both time periods, although the prescribed medications for these conditions were different in 2001 and 2004. The per-resident numbers of diagnoses and medications averaged 7.2 +/- 3.3 and 9.1 +/- 4.7, respectively, in 2004, compared with 5.1 +/- 1.9 and 6.4 +/- 3.6 in 2001. Among 11 residents who lived in the assisted living facility during both data-collection months, the per-resident averages were 5.2 +/- 2.2 diagnoses and 8 +/- 3.9 medications in 2001, compared with 7.9 +/- 2.9 and 11.1 +/- 5.1, respectively, in 2004. The average blood pressure readings among these residents improved in 2004 over those in 2001, though no improvement was seen in the average blood glucose readings. CONCLUSION: To address the changing needs of assisted living facility residents over time, active ongoing monitoring and assessment of residents' medication therapies by pharmacists are indicated.