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5PSQ-174 Pharmacist intervention to reduce potentially inappropriate medication use in hospitalised elderly patients using the Beers criteria

ejhpharm · 2026-03-18 · canonical JSON source

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Background and Importance As the population ages globally, medication safety for the elderly is a growing concern. The use of potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) is common and increases the risk of adverse drug events. This study aimed to implement a pharmacist-led intervention to systematically identify and correct PIM use in hospitalised older patients.Aim and Objectives The main objectives were twofold: First, to assess the prevalence of PIM use among hospitalised patients aged 65 years and older. Second, to evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility of the pharmacist intervention in optimising prescriptions using the American Geriatrics Society’s Beers Criteria.Material and Methods A retrospective review of hospitalised patients aged over 65 years was conducted (January 2024–June 2025). Patient medication data were systematically accessed via the hospital’s Pharmacy-Note system and then screened using an assessment form primarily structured by the Beers Criteria. Pharmacists identified PIM issues and initiated targeted consultations with attending physicians, proposing recommendations for prescription adjustments. The study analysed the types of PIMs identified, the categories of consultation issues, and the physician acceptance rates of the recommendations as the primary outcome measure.Results The review included 2,018 hospitalised elderly patients, identifying a total of 3,306 PIM instances. On average, patients were prescribed 8.8 medications and had 1.1 PIMs. The most frequent PIM drug classes were proton pump inhibitors (28%), benzodiazepines (16%), and antipsychotics (11%). Among the 117 consultations, medication duplication was the most common issue (42%), followed by inappropriate indications (14%), formulations (11%), and dosages (11%). The physician acceptance rate for the recommendations was 93.16%.Conclusion and Relevance Pharmacist intervention based on the Beers Criteria is highly effective and practical in improving medication safety for hospitalised elderly patients, confirmed by the high acceptance rate (93.16%). The findings highlight the critical need to address prevalent PIMs (PPIs, benzodiazepines) and medication duplication. Formal integration of this structured review into clinical workflow is recommended to enhance patient safety and guide future efforts to assess long-term outcomes and cost-effectiveness.Conflict of Interest No conflict of interest