Medication-related hospital admissions in aged care residents

Objective To determine the prevalence of medication-related hospitalisations preceded by potentially suboptimal processes of care in aged care residents. Method We conducted a retrospective analysis of administrative claims data from the Australian Government Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA). We identified all hospital admissions for aged care residents between 1 July 2014 and 30 June 2019. The proportion of hospital admissions preceded by potentially suboptimal medication-related processes of care was determined. Results A total of 18 874 hospitalisations were included, and 46% were preceded by potentially suboptimal medication-related care. One-quarter of fracture admissions occurred in residents at risk of fracture who were not using a medicine to prevent fracture, and 87% occurred in residents using falls-risk medicines. Thirty per cent of heart failure admissions occurred in patients who were not using an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker. Conclusion Nearly half of hospital admissions were preceded by potentially suboptimal medication-related processes of care. Interventions to improve use of medicines for aged care residents in these areas are warranted.

Automated summary

The study found that nearly half of hospitalisations were preceded by potentially suboptimal medication-related processes of care in aged care residents, highlighting the need for interventions to improve medication use in this population.