Brief Project Summary
Project Title: Drug Reduction in Older Patients: The DROP Trial
PIs: Drs. Sandra Simmons and Amanda Mixon
Institution: VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System
Contact information: [email protected] and [email protected]
Study Type: Randomized Controlled Trial
Who, What, Where: This randomized trial seeks to reduce exposure to medications among hospitalized older veterans being discharged to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) through engaging patients and providers to reduce the number and/or dose of medications prior to hospital discharge.
Document List *
Project Summary
Our innovative, patient-centered Drug Reduction in Older Patients (DROP) intervention has significant potential to impact the health of a large population of older Veterans who are vulnerable to poor health outcomes. It is during hospitalization and SNF care that older patients often acquire new geriatric syndromes and medications and, thus, when deprescribing actions should be initiated by VA care providers. In addition, the clinical oversight provided during the hospital and SNF stays allows the effects of medication changes to be more closely monitored for safety relative to when the Veteran is at home. Polypharmacy, defined in published studies as more than five medications, and hyperpolypharmacy, defined as more than 10 medications, are both common in older patients discharged to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). Several recent studies demonstrate the prevalence and potential inappropriateness of polypharmacy among older patients in both VA and non-VA healthcare settings.
The randomized, controlled trial will evaluate the effects of an intervention to reduce exposure to medications (DROP) among hospitalized older veterans being discharged to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) using an effectiveness-implementation hybrid design to inform future dissemination efforts.
* Conditions of Use
The Principal Investigator of this study requests that other researchers do not use portions of these documents directly (“cut and paste”) in their own study materials without specific permission. Please contact the PIs Drs. Sandra Simmons ([email protected]) and Amanda Mixon ([email protected]) to request permission, explaining what you would like to use and how you would like to use it.
