REDUCING ANTIPSYCHOTIC USE IN NURSING HOMES: PRESCRIBER AND FACILITY PERSPECTIVES

• Published in: Innovation in aging 2017-07, Vol.1 (suppl_1), p.682-682
• Main Authors: Rosenthal, M., Angell, B., Crystal, S., Poling, J., Wec, A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abstracts
• ISSN: 2399-5300; 2399-5300
• DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igx004.2433

Since 2012, some states have reduced inappropriate prescription of APs in nursing homes (NHs) by 20–25%, while others show little change. To assist attendees in replicating quality improvement across facilities and states, case studies from the field will provide successful facility-level dementia care strategies. As part of an AHRQ-funded study, administrators and prescribers (medical directors, physicians, consulting pharmacists, and directors of nursing) are interviewed by phone at 14 NHs in 7 states. They describe the decision process for prescribing APs, and issues prescribers face including how they are affected by changes in regulations, barriers to change, and sources of improvement. Their descriptions cover a range of NHs by facility size, organizational status (for profit/not-for-profit), proportion of Medicaid-covered residents, and progress in reducing AP use. These case studies of high success vs. limited success will provide examples of points of intervention, and effective alternative strategies for addressing dementia in NHs.