Presentations

The goal of the Elder Care Medicine Network is to train community members in patient-centered outcomes research in the subject of medication optimization. This slideshow defines research and patient-centered outcomes research and includes discussion questions regarding personal experiences and concerns about research participation.

• Overview of the Elder Care Medicine Network (PDF)

This research, created into a poster and presentation, was led by Sabrina Wang, PharmD '24.

Older adults, caregivers, researchers, and pharmacists were recruited from the Elder Care Medicine Network to complete a needs assessment survey that identified gaps in patient-centered outcomes research (PCOR). The survey was co-developed with 12 community council members from three regions of the United States to discover important topics for PCOR. The needs assessment survey found that training needs to incorporate stakeholder preferences such as delivery and timing, the need for age-friendly patient centered outcome measures, and stakeholders need technological support to be engaged.

Important topics for PCOR discussion

1. Explain patient-centered outcomes research and PCOR - 71.6%
2. Share examples of how community members can participate on a research team - 73%
3. Hear from community members on how they felt the first time they participated on a research team - 47.3%
4. Talk about developing trust with the research team - 55.4%
5. Discuss how the community member can work with the research team to explain which questions people might be reluctant to share - 73%
6. Learn about common terms that the research team uses - 67.6%
7. Discuss how to help the people in my community understand what the research results mean to them - 74.3%
8. Other (role of family members and physicians in gatekeeping, benefits of PCOR, role of elder pharmacists) - 12.2%

Concerns about participating in PCOR

1. Not enough time
2. Need support
3. Need access to technology
4. Concerns about privacy
5. Unsure of value

Discussion/Conclusions

1. A gap exists in aligning the medication experiences of older adults and caregivers with age-friendly patient centered outcome measures.
2. While stakeholders seek better understanding of health and to be informed of the ideas of peers, they also feel they will need technology support to be engaged.
3. Responses are from geographically distinct and diverse stakeholders, which improves generalizability of the findings.
4. Training needs to incorporate stakeholder preferences such as delivery and timing.
5. The topics identified regarding PCOR are critical to creating a functional research team that can work with older adults and caregivers.

• Poster presented at ASCP (PDF)
• Presentation presented at PQA (PDF)

As individuals age, the need for multiple medications to treat their various chronic conditions are a growing concern. A community council comprised of 12 members from 3 regions of the United States were gathered to increase the capacity of local communities to participate in PCOR. The council concluded that collaboration is needed to address medication-related needs and sharing of the co-designed research agenda can help advance PCOR that matters to older adults.

Important topics for PCOR discussion

1. Explain patient-centered outcomes research and PCOR - 71.6%
2. Share examples of how community members can participate on a research team - 73%
3. Hear from community members on how they felt the first time they participated on a research team - 47.3%
4. Talk about developing trust with the research team - 55.4%
5. Discuss how the community member can work with the research team to explain which questions people might be reluctant to share - 73%
6. Learn about common terms that the research team uses - 67.6%
7. Discuss how to help the people in my community understand what the research results mean to them - 74.3%
8. Other (role of family members and physicians in gatekeeping, benefits of PCOR, role of elder pharmacists) - 12.2%

Priority Themes

1. How best to work with a pharmacist about your medicines
2. Communicating with pharmacists about medication related problems or concerns (e.g., dosing, side effects, quantity of medications taken)
3. Safe ways to reduce or deprescribe medications.
4. How to safely use traditional medicine with complementary and alternative.
5. What supplements are safe when using other medications
6. Using apps or reminders to help keep track of medications.
7. How to reduce medication problems in older adults and as caregivers
8. Best ways to work with older adults and/or caregivers to co-design and participate in research (Help researchers ask questions)
9. Best practices to help address caregiver fatigue and stress regarding medicines

Conclusions

1. Working together facilitated accomplishments
2. Future efforts will focus on conducting PCOR with network
3. Members to address their medication-related needs
4. Sharing of the co-designed research agenda will help further
5. Medication related PCOR that matters to older adults

• Poster presented at USDEN (PDF)