Assessing patient work system factors for medication management during transition of care among older adults: an observational study

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39179376/ An AHRQ-funded study in BMJ Quality & Safety identified factors that put older adults at risk for medication problems after leaving the hospital. Researchers developed 13 indicators to assess aspects of the medication management process, including tasks for patients to manage medicines during the transition home, capacity to perform the tasks, and medicine use practices at home. Among 376 patients aged 65 and older, more than half were prescribed more than 10 medicines, and nearly all experienced changes to their regimens due to their hospital stays. Over 80 percent of the patients managed medicines without a caregiver, and more than 40 percent felt unsure about managing medicines. High task demands and low capacities were linked to feeling overwhelmed and experiencing discrepancies between medicines taken at home and those in the health record. The study identified task and capacity indicators that could be assessed before discharge to improve safety and patient experience during the transition from hospital to home.