Scott, S.; Buac, N.; Bhattacharya, D. An Internationally Derived Process of Healthcare Professionals’ Proactive Deprescribing Steps and Constituent Activities. Pharmacy2024, 12, 138.
Scott, S.; Buac, N.; Bhattacharya, D. An Internationally Derived Process of Healthcare Professionals’ Proactive Deprescribing Steps and Constituent Activities. Pharmacy 2024, 12, 138.
Scott, S.; Buac, N.; Bhattacharya, D. An Internationally Derived Process of Healthcare Professionals’ Proactive Deprescribing Steps and Constituent Activities. Pharmacy2024, 12, 138.
Scott, S.; Buac, N.; Bhattacharya, D. An Internationally Derived Process of Healthcare Professionals’ Proactive Deprescribing Steps and Constituent Activities. Pharmacy 2024, 12, 138.
Abstract
Proactive deprescribing is the process of stopping a medicine before harm occurs. This study aimed to specify and validate with an international sample of healthcare professionals, a proactive deprescribing process of steps and constituent activities. We developed a proactive deprescribing process framework of steps which we populated with literature-derived activities required to be undertaken by healthcare professionals. We distributed a survey to healthcare professionals in-ternationally requesting for each activity; the frequency of its occurrence in practice and whether it was important. Extended response questions invited barriers and enablers to deprescribing. The 263 survey respondents were from 25 countries. A proactive deprescribing process was developed comprising four steps: (1) Identify a patient for potential stop of a medicine, (2) Evaluate a patient for potential stop of a medicine, (3) Stop a medicine(s), (4) After a medicine has been stopped, and 17 activities. All activities were considered important by ≥70% respondents. Nine activities re-quired healthcare professionals to undertake in direct partnership with the patient and/or care-giver, of which seven were only sometimes undertaken. Deprescribing interventions should focus on addressing the barriers and enablers of healthcare professionals undertaking the activities that require direct partnership with the patient and/or caregiver.
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