Improving Australian care home medicine supply services: Evaluation of a quality improvement intervention.
OBJECTIVE
The study aims to determine the impact of a quality improvement intervention on how accurately and suitably medicines are supplied to residents of residential aged-care facilities (RACFs).


METHODS
Between September 2012 and January 2013, pharmacy-supplied dose administration aids (DAAs) were audited at 45 Victorian RACFs (Australia). RACFs had previously received an intervention (education session/toolkit) and were involved in an earlier DAA audit. Recently supplied DAAs containing regular medicines were compared to prescriber-prepared medicine charts to identify, and classify risks of, inaccurate or unsuitable packing incidents.


RESULTS
Of 2389 DAAs audited for 983 residents, 770 incidents in 502 DAAs were identified. The overall DAA incident rate increased significantly from 11.5% pre-intervention to 21.0% post-intervention (P < 0.001). The proportion of DAAs affected by incidents classified as 'insignificant' or 'minor' risk increased post-intervention (P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Further wide-scale evaluation of RACF medicine supply services is needed. Interventions that are effective in reducing DAA incidents should be explored.
Centre for Medicine Use and Safety, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Julia Fiona-Maree
JF
Gilmartin
Centre for Medicine Use and Safety, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Jennifer Lillian
JL
Marriott
Centre for Medicine Use and Safety, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Safeera Yasmeen
SY
Hussainy
D003157:Community Pharmacy Services / Q000592:standards*; D004304:Dosage Forms; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004349:Drug Packaging / Q000592:standards; D006707:Homes for the Aged / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008485:Medical Audit; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000517:prevention & control*; D054539:Medication Therapy Management / Q000592:standards*; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000592:standards*; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D019338:Polypharmacy; D015397:Program Evaluation; D058996:Quality Improvement / Q000592:standards*; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D013997:Time Factors; D014739:Victoria
D004304:Dosage Forms; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations
delivery of health care; home for the older people; medication error; medicine