Tools to Assess Self-Administration of Medication

Explore the following links for helpful tools to assess self-administration of medication in older adults, particularly those living in assisted living facilities.

Medi-Cog

The Medi-Cog is a seven-minute tool, which can be used by health care providers to assess cognitive literacy and pillbox skills in order to optimize medication safety.  The tool is a combination of the Mini-Cog©, a validated cognitive screen, and the Medication Transfer Screen (MTS), a pillbox skills test. This tool was developed by Katherine Anderson, PharmD.

• Medi-Cog Presentation‌ [PDF]
  This presentation describes the purpose, methods, and origin of the Medi-Cog.  It includes a pre- and post-test with answers, background information on medication safety, and examples of the Mini-Cog©, MTS and Medi-Cog.
• Medi-Cog [PDF]
  ‌This blank Medi-Cog form includes instructions for proper administration and scoring.
• Medi-Cog Example [PDF]
  This completed Medi-Cog form is an example assessment that includes scoring. 

Medication Management Instrument for Deficiencies on the Elderly (MedMaIDE™)

The MedMaIDE™ tool is used to assess the ability to self-administer medications within the aging population.  It examines how much the person knows about their medications, if they know how to take their medications, and if they know how to procure their medications.  The tool also provides a section for the individual’s complete medication list. This tool was developed by Denise Orwig, PhD, Nicole Brandt, PharmD, and Ann Gruber-Baldini, PhD.

• MedMaIDE™‌ [PDF]
  This blank MedMaIDE™ form includes scoring instructions, contacts, and references.
• Reference article on testing MedMaIDE™ within the community:
  Orwig, D., Brandt, N., & Gruber-Baldini, A. L. (2006). Medication Management Assessment for Older Adults in the Community. The Gerontologist, 46(5), 661-668.