![[ Visit Client Website ]](images/banner.gif)
Learning Objective 1: The learner will be able to identify and define the stages of a PDSA (Plan-Do-Study-Act) Cycle, a structured rapid cycle testing method for change.
Learning Objective 2: The learner will be able to verbalize the steps in establishing a change team and identify the role and contributions of each member.
Polypharmacy is common among the elderly and few interdisciplinary approaches exist with a primary goal of optimizing the elder’s medication regimen.
Approach:
A core team was established to explore medication management processes that currently existed in order to reduce polypharmacy at On Lok Lifeways, the pioneering Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly serving frail elderly in the San Francisco Bay Area. This interdisciplinary team was compromised of physicians, pharmacists, nurses, and quality assurance (QA). After evaluation from each member’s perspective, areas in need of process improvement were identified. A review of established methods to implement and measure change was conducted and rapid-cycle testing using a PDSA (Plan, Do, Study, Act) cycle was chosen. PDSA cycles allowed our project to be tested in a small population and resulted in measurable outcomes in a short timeframe. Results from small cycles could be evaluated and then implemented on a larger scale.
The core team’s evaluation revealed that interdisciplinary patient care teams were lacking a formalized and collaborative review of medications. It was hypothesized that input from disciplines, such as dietary and physical therapy, could provide additional perspectives on medication use. One team out of ten was identified to participate. The core team designed a process in which each discipline would review an elder’s medication list using guides tailored to their area of expertise. All disciplines were challenged to reflect on how their specific assessments and care plans would aid in reducing polypharmacy in collaboration with other team members. A survey establishing baseline opinions of team members in the area of medication management will be conducted before and after the project. Furthermore, elders evaluated during the project will be assessed for changes in medication count and factors that may contribute to polypharmacy.
See more of: Invited Posters