Clinical and economic evaluation of pharmacotherapy for residents of intermediate care facilities for older adults

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16H07487
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Medical sociology
• Research Institution: Institute for Health Economics and Policy, Association for Health Economics Rsearch and Social Insurance and Welfare
• Principal Investigator: Hamada Shota 一般財団法人医療経済研究・社会保険福祉協会(医療経済研究機構(研究部)), 医療経済研究機構, 主任研究員 (80712033)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-08-26 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 要介護高齢者 / 医療保険 / 介護保険 / 薬物療法 / 介護老人保健施設

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Older people commonly have some chronic diseases (ie, multimorbidity) and receive a number of drugs (ie, polypharmacy), which potentially cause adverse drug events. Admission to an intermediate care facility for older adults (Roken) can be a good opportunity for medication review for older people with disabilities. Since a bundled payment is applied for most of drugs, medical directors at Rokens take into account drug costs to determine pharmacotherapy for their patients. This study evaluated pharmacotherapy in residents of Roken, focusing on the number of drugs prescribed, potentially inappropriate medications, and drug costs.

Free Research Field

老年薬学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

超高齢社会である日本において、高齢者が適切に医療や介護を受けることができる環境作りは益々重要になっている。本研究では、まず、介護老人保健施設による薬剤費負担の課題について、施設の負担を軽減し、必要な人が必要なときに介護老人保健施設に入所してサービスを受けられるような仕組み作りについて提案した。また、入所者の薬物療法を最適化するために、高齢者の安全な薬物療法ガイドラインの活用が効果的である可能性があることを示した。