Optimizing Medication Management during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Implementation Guide for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care

Welcome to this implementation guide for improving medication management in post-acute and long-term care settings during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Its goal is to improve resident-centered health and well-being by reducing use of unnecessary medications, simplifying medication management, and reducing opportunities for transmission of COVID-19 between residents and staff. By streamlining medication administration, these changes may also increase the time that staff have available for other direct care activities.

Please see the links below to access different parts of the guide. We suggest first reviewing “How to Use this Implementation Guide.” Specific recommendations are provided in the “Recommendations” section, with an accompanying checklist for easy reference. Review the other sections as well; they are critical for safe and effective implementation of these recommendations. Recommendations should be implemented using a resident-centered approach and in a manner that aligns with facility, staff, and pharmacy workflow.

Note that this guide is focused on medication-related issues and should complement rather than replace other efforts to improve care quality and safety and infection control. Please send us your feedback about the guide to lamycenter@rx.umaryland.edu to help inform our development of future versions.

Download the Complete Guide

A printer-friendly version of the complete "Optimizing Medication Management During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Implementation Guide for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care" guide is available for download.

Download the Full Guide Here

Section	Key Points
How to Use this Implementation Guide	Recommendations in this guide are voluntary and advisory in nature and should not substitute for clinical judgment. Adaptation to local circumstances will be needed and is encouraged.
Recommendations Checklist	Brief summary of recommendations in checklist format.
Recommendations	Box: Stepwise approach to prioritizing and implementing recommendations. Table 1: Medications that may be discontinued, reduced, or changed Table 2: Changes to how medications are administered and monitored. Table 3: Appropriate alignment of medication administration times. Table 4: Medication issues specific to COVID-19 and infection prevention.
Regulatory Considerations	During the COVID-19 pandemic it is critical to evaluate medication administration, management, and monitoring to ensure that facility teams can continue to meet the needs of each resident. Regulations supporting such changes include State Operations Manual Tags F757, F759, F760, and/or F865.
Communication Around Medication Changes	Communication around medication changes is essential for all members of the team. Sample letters to prescribers and to residents and their family and care partners are included in this section.
Avoiding Unintended Consequences	Attention to potential unintended consequences such as re-emergence of symptoms of disease or worsening social isolation is essential to maximize benefits and minimize potential harms.
Additional Resources	Dose conversion table, sample letters, and other useful resources.
About this Guide	How this guide was developed.

If you have questions or comments, please contact us at lamycenter@rx.umaryland.edu.

---

This implementation guide has been endorsed by the American Geriatrics Society, the Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine (AMDA), and the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists.