BACKGROUND: The Beers criteria are a compilation of medications deemed potentially inappropriate for older adults, widely used as a prescribing quality indicator. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether Beers criteria serve as a proxy measure for other forms of inappropriate prescribing, as measured by comprehensive implicit review. METHODS: Data for patients 65 years and older were obtained from the Veterans Affairs Enhanced Pharmacy Outpatient Clinic (EPOC) and the Iowa Medicaid Pharmaceutical Case Management (PCM) studies. Comprehensive measurement of prescribing quality was conducted using expert clinician review of medical records according to the Medication Appropriateness Index (MAI). MAI scores attributable to non-Beers medications were contrasted between patients who did and did not receive a Beers criteria medication. RESULTS: Beers criteria medications accounted for 12.9% (EPOC) and 14.0% (PCM) of total MAI scores. Importantly, non-Beers MAI scores were significantly higher in patients receiving a Beers criteria medication in both studies (EPOC: 15.1 vs 12.4, p = 0.02; PCM: 11.1 vs 8.7, p = 0.04), after adjusting for important confounding factors. CONCLUSIONS: Beers criteria utility extended beyond direct measurement of a limited set of inappropriate prescribing practices by serving as a clinically meaningful proxy for other inappropriate practices. Using prescribing quality indicators to guide interventions should thus identify patients for comprehensive medication review, rather than identifying specific medication targets for discontinuation. Future research should explore both the quality measurement and the intervention targeting applications of the Beers criteria, particularly when integrated with other indicators.
BACKGROUND: The Beers criteria are a compilation of medications deemed potentially inappropriate for older adults, widely used as a prescribing quality indicator. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether Beers criteria serve as a proxy measure for other forms of inappropriate prescribing, as measured by comprehensive implicit review. METHODS: Data for patients 65 years and older were obtained from the Veterans Affairs Enhanced Pharmacy Outpatient Clinic (EPOC) and the Iowa Medicaid Pharmaceutical Case Management (PCM) studies. Comprehensive measurement of prescribing quality was conducted using expert clinician review of medical records according to the Medication Appropriateness Index (MAI). MAI scores attributable to non-Beers medications were contrasted between patients who did and did not receive a Beers criteria medication. RESULTS: Beers criteria medications accounted for 12.9% (EPOC) and 14.0% (PCM) of total MAI scores. Importantly, non-Beers MAI scores were significantly higher in patients receiving a Beers criteria medication in both studies (EPOC: 15.1 vs 12.4, p = 0.02; PCM: 11.1 vs 8.7, p = 0.04), after adjusting for important confounding factors. CONCLUSIONS: Beers criteria utility extended beyond direct measurement of a limited set of inappropriate prescribing practices by serving as a clinically meaningful proxy for other inappropriate practices. Using prescribing quality indicators to guide interventions should thus identify patients for comprehensive medication review, rather than identifying specific medication targets for discontinuation. Future research should explore both the quality measurement and the intervention targeting applications of the Beers criteria, particularly when integrated with other indicators.
Authors: J T Hanlon; K E Schmader; G P Samsa; M Weinberger; K M Uttech; I K Lewis; H J Cohen; J R Feussner Journal: J Clin Epidemiol Date: 1992-10 Impact factor: 6.437
Authors: Kimberly J Rask; Kristen J Wells; Gregg S Teitel; Jonathan N Hawley; Calita Richards; Julie A Gazmararian Journal: Am J Manag Care Date: 2005-03 Impact factor: 2.229
Authors: Matthew Perri; Ajit M Menon; Aparna D Deshpande; Shashank B Shinde; Rong Jiang; James W Cooper; Christopher L Cook; Samuel C Griffin; Robyn A Lorys Journal: Ann Pharmacother Date: 2005-01-25 Impact factor: 3.154
Authors: Walid F Gellad; Chester B Good; Megan E Amuan; Zachary A Marcum; Joseph T Hanlon; Mary Jo V Pugh Journal: J Am Geriatr Soc Date: 2012-06-21 Impact factor: 5.562
Authors: Kathleen Elliot; Janet A Tooze; Rachel Geller; Bayard L Powell; Timothy S Pardee; Ellen Ritchie; LeAnne Kennedy; Kathryn E Callahan; Heidi D Klepin Journal: Leuk Res Date: 2014-07-07 Impact factor: 3.156
Authors: David P O'Sullivan; Denis O'Mahony; Carole Parsons; Carmel Hughes; Kevin Murphy; Susan Patterson; Stephen Byrne Journal: Drugs Aging Date: 2013-01 Impact factor: 3.923