Challenge of Changing Nursing Home Prescribing Culture

Overview

Journal Am J Geriatr Pharmacother

Specialties Geriatrics
Pharmacology

Date 2012 Jan 24

PMID 22264855

Citations 20

Authors

Jennifer Tjia

Jerry H Gurwitz

Becky A Briesacher

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

This article described a framework for improving prescribing in nursing homes (NH) by focusing on the whole facility as a system that has created a "prescribing culture." We offered this paradigm as an alternative to focused interventions that target prescribers only. We used the example of atypical antipsychotics to illustrate the approach. We also highlighted elements of the NH culture change movement that are germane to medication prescribing, and illustrated which elements of NH culture were shown to be associated with suboptimal quality of care. We concluded by describing current models, including our study funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, to identify the best methods of disseminating evidence-based medication use guides in NHs.

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