RCSI study tackles likelihood of inappropriate prescribing

The likelihood of inappropriate prescribing was reduced in nearly 50% of patients who took part in a study where pharmacists and GPs discussed prescribing practices and GPs followed up with a software review of medication.

Dr Barbara Clyne, a Health Research Board-funded researcher at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), was lead author on the paper.

She said their findings show that after a relatively short intervention, “namely a half-hour visit from a pharmacist to a GP to go through indicators of prescribing quality in older people, followed by the GP using a special software package to conduct a review of medication, we were able to reduce the likelihood of inappropriate prescribing in nearly 50% of patients in our intervention group”.

Graham Love, chief executive of the HRB Centre for Primary Care Research, RCSI, said the study demonstrates the value of conducting research in primary care “to ensure people get the right care at the right time and the health system benefits from lower costs and less pressure in acute services over time”.

Professor Tom Fahey, principal investigator at the HRB Centre, said the results show health gains, in terms of safety and cost of drugs, that can be made for the benefit of patients using information communication technology, and evidence-based information that supports GPs to conduct reviews of medication.

The findings of the study, published in Annals of Family Medicine, reveal the potential for improved medication use, significant cost savings, and reduced risk from side-effects for patients on a common medication for gastric problems (proton pump inhibitors).