At a glance
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Engaging Patients to Promote Deprescribing
In Brief
A clinical study evaluating Direct to patient medication brochure for Medical Overuse and 2 related conditions. Completed, enrolled 5,946 participants across 4 sites.
Detailed Summary
One mechanism to reduce potentially inappropriate medications is through deprescribing, a deimplementation-based approach to thoughtfully discontinue a medication a patient is currently prescribed. Many interventions to overcome deprescribing barriers target the provider, who is already overburdened. Although some believe providers have primary responsibility for deprescribing, patient-initiated discontinuation discussions can effectively facilitate deprescribing. In a single-site pilot study, the investigators successfully engaged VA Primary Care patients to facilitate deprescribing of select potentially inappropriate medications. The investigators now propose a multisite randomized controlled trial of engaging Veterans who may be deprescribing candidates. By study end, the investigators will have established the effectiveness of an innovative, low-tech, patient-focused intervention to promote deprescribing, thereby directly improving quality, safety, and value of VA care while also setting the stage for generalization of this approach to other potentially inappropriate medications.
Study Details
Timeline
Interventions
An EMPOWER medication brochure, adapted to the VA, designed to educate and activate patients. These brochures provide detailed medication information, allow self-testing of indications for use, prompt reflection of experiences with potential side effects, discuss alternative therapies (medication and non-pharmacologic options), and provide a vignette of a patient who successfully stopped the medicine. They were designed for a 6th grade reading level and were based upon theories of patient activation, adult learning, and cognitive dissonance. The visually appealing brochure repeatedly emphasizes that patients should not make any medication changes without first consulting their health care providers.