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Elderly Polypharmacy and Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Knowledge and Needs Assessment Among Primary Care Providers

Polypharmacy, the use of five or more medications, is a public health epidemic that leads to high health care utilization and costs in older adults globally. Health care organizations and professionals have used interdisciplinary collaboration (IC) interventions to reduce polypharmacy and health care costs with little benefit. There is limited research and integration of IC with an evidence-based practice (EBP) guideline among primary care providers (PCPs) in the primary care setting. The aims of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project were to conduct a knowledge and needs assessment via Qualtrics survey to identify PCPs’ current knowledge, practices, and perceptions regarding IC and the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) Beers Criteria on reducing older adult polypharmacy in an urban primary care setting; and to assess PCPs’ interest in participating in IC with a pharmacist using the AGS Beers Criteria. The responses obtained from the Qualtrics survey revealed PCPs were comfortable in communicating to older adults about polypharmacy; however, PCPs with longer practice experiences displayed misconceptions due to lack of familiarity and interest in participating in IC using the AGS Beers Criteria. Overall, 70% of PCPs felt comfortable about participating in IC alone, 50% of PCPs were familiar with IC, and 60% of PCPs used the AGS Beers Criteria. Even though 60% of PCPs felt comfortable about participating in IC based on AGS Beers Criteria with a pharmacist, only 50% of PCPs were interested in participating IC with a pharmacist using AGS Beers Criteria. Barriers and recommendations are discussed further in this DNP Project paper.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:arizona.edu/oai:arizona.openrepository.com:10150/625893
Date January 2017
CreatorsPeng, Sheng Yun, Peng, Sheng Yun
ContributorsMartin-Plank, Lori, Martin-Plank, Lori, Pacheco, Christy, Lee, Jeannie K.
PublisherThe University of Arizona.
Source SetsUniversity of Arizona
Languageen_US
Detected LanguageEnglish
Typetext, Electronic Dissertation
RightsCopyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author.

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