Organizational Leadership Strategies Falls in the Elderly Essay

Organizational Leadership Strategies

Falls in the elderly due to polypharmacy and possible approaches

Polypharmacy refers to the use of multiple medicines by the elderly especially those above sixty years. Most times, it involves the use of more than five regular drugs. Alternatively, it is sometimes referred to as unnecessary prescriptions or purportedly excessive medication. Polypharmacy has not yet achieved a universal definition. This problem has been persistent across forty percent of the elderly population that reside in their own homes (Menaker, 2010).

Polypharmacy might be appropriate: most times, it tends to be inappropriate. Polypharmacy is associated disadvantages such as an increase in adverse reaction towards drug intake, prescribing cascade, higher costs and drug vs. drug interaction. Polypharmacy leads to a decrease in life quality, cognition and mobility. The use of multiple medications is common even in fair illness and does not indicate poor treatment. Studies have repeatedly shown that an inhibitor, aspirin, antidepressant, and paracetamol are mostly used at once (Miller, 2005).

Various researchers have proposed possible approaches to reduce Polypharmacy in elderly patients. Medical providers caring for the elderly use a medical grid to monitor the patients who are ready to be discharged. This comprises of a list of all drugs and the administration time over the previous month. This approach tends to reduce the number of drugs in a group of patients against the increase of medication. It also reduces the number of dosage taken each day by elderly patients. A research study by a New York Medicare group on primary care physicians found that patients are required to bring along their medications for regular reviews.This survey also found it effective for primary care providers to receive guidelines on Polypharmacy. During a medication review, some physicians tend to give patients a drug discontinue or change the medication change (Drenckpohl, Bowers & Cooper, 2007).

A number of researchers found out that primary care providers mail physicians a list of clients who are on potentially inappropriate medication. This results in medical discontinuation. Clinical pharmacists are being used to aid and educate physicians on how they can reduce Polypharmacy among elderly patients receiving outpatient care. This approach has been effective because it has reduced the rate of elderly patients receiving more than five medications. Surveys have also described the overall rate of Polypharmacy cases as the intake of three oral anti-diabetic medications, two benzodiazepines, and two narcotics: these add up to five medications. Such mailings to physicians have reduced the number of patient medication (Varkey, Sathananthan, Scheifer, Bhagra, Fujiyoshi, Tom & Murad, 2009).

The Six-Sigma Approach

Polypharmacy can be avoided through identifying medications that might have the possibility to be discontinued or de-prescribed. When physicians are establishing such medications, they only need to reverse the criteria used in prescribing these medications. In prescribing medications, physicians must first review the target indications and symptoms. This is followed by a review of the risks associated with the medication and benefits followed by the acceptance of the patient towards the treatment. The caregiver must initiate monitoring measures to achieve effectiveness after prescribing the medication. The Six Sigma Approach experts warn that caregivers….....