Evaluation of a safe medication strategy intervention for people with dementia with an unplanned admission: Results from the Safe Medication Strategy Dementia Study.

Abstract

To evaluate whether a safe medication strategy compared with usual care, provided to people with dementia during an unplanned admission, reduces readmissions to hospital and re-presentation to emergency departments within three months. A prospective, controlled pre-/post-trial conducted at two regional hospitals in New South Wales, Australia. No treatment effect was seen for time to first re-presentation or readmission within three months (P=.3). Compliance with six strategies applicable for all participants in the intervention phase was 58%. There was no treatment effect for secondary outcomes including dose administration aid use, home medicines review (HMR) requests by general practitioners and completed HMRs; however, they were significantly higher at the intervention site in both phases. A bundle of care to improve medication safety in people with dementia did not reduce re-presentations or readmissions within three months.