Building Community-Engaged Multidisciplinary Partnerships to Improve Medication Management in Elderly Patients With Multiple Chronic Conditions.

Poon IO, Skelton F, Bean LR, Guinn D, Jemerson TL, Mbue ND, Charles CV, Ndefo UA. Building Community-Engaged Multidisciplinary Partnerships to Improve Medication Management in Elderly Patients With Multiple Chronic Conditions. Journal of patient-centered research and reviews. 2021 Apr 19; 8(2):113-120.

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Abstract:

Purpose: Many studies in preventing adverse drug events have been researcher-driven, yet few have engaged patients in the development of a project. This project aims to engage minority elderly patients with multiple chronic conditions in the development of research questions and strategies to improve medication safety. Methods: Elderly patients ( 65 years old) who were prescribed 7 or more chronic medications were recruited through a university-based aging resource network in a historically African American community in Houston, Texas. Patients and a caregiver participated in a multidisciplinary workgroup comprised of a physician, pharmacists, a nurse, health educators, and a social worker. Patients were engaged by utilizing the 4 patient-centered outcomes research engagement principles. The workgroup created a strategic plan, completed an environmental scan, identified research problems, and reviewed current evidence-based approaches in the literature. Workgroup findings were presented to a broader audience within a community town hall setting, and input was collected from a community-wide survey. Results: From April 2018 to July 2018, 3 patients and 1 caregiver participated in 5 multidisciplinary workgroup meetings. A total of 74 seniors attended the town hall meeting, and 69 completed the surveys. The most common drug-related problems among survey participants were doubts about drug advertisements (79%) and drug interactions (70%). Most participants (88%) were more comfortable in receiving face-to-face counseling compared to an app or virtual visits. Findings aided in developing 3 grant proposals. Conclusions: This narrative provides a roadmap for conducting multidisciplinary, patient-centered participatory research to refine research strategies in minimizing drug-related problems.