Medication Noncompliance among Elderly Emergency Department Patients Steven Kleinman, Department of...

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Medication Noncompliance among Elderly Emergency Department Patients Steven Kleinman, Department of Biology, York College; Steven Mooth, Marc Pollack, Amy Daugherty, Emergency Department, York Hospital, York PA Introduction Medication compliance can be defined as the extent to which a person’s medication taking behavior coincides with medical advice. There are many factors affecting compliance which include forgetting, misunderstanding of the directions, feeling better or worse, and cost related reasons. The elderly make up a large portion of the population who regularly take prescribed medications. The factor most affecting medication compliance among this group is cost. Prescription drug costs are on the rise and are doing so faster than the Consumer Price Index which creates a problem for those on a fixed income. Medicare Part D is a government program that was recently established to help pay for the costs of prescription medications for those currently covered by Medicare most of whom are elderly. Objectives The objectives of this study were to determine if elderly emergency department patients are noncompliant for financial reasons and the impact of Medicare Part D on compliance and cost. Hypotheses The number of noncompliant patients enrolled in the Medicare Part D program would be much less than those who are not enrolled Those who are noncompliant would have generally greater out of pocket expenses than those who were compliant Sample Survey Questions: 1. In the past month, what were your out-of-pocket medication expenses? □ No charge □ $150 to $199 □ $1 to $49 □ $200 to $299 □ $50 to $99 □ $300+ □ $100 to $149 2. During the past year have you for any reason skipped taking your medication? □ Yes, often □ Yes, occasionally □ No 3. Do you have drug coverage insurance or another program that helps pay for your prescription medications? □ Private Insurance □ Medicare Part D □ Prescription Assistance Program □ PACE/PACENET □ Other ____________________ □ None Methods Patient with bed in Emergency Department Inclusion Criteria: 65+ years old, English speaking, not critically ill, no altered mental status or consciousness No further action taken Verbal and written consent from patient for participation in survey N=500 Recorded as non-participant N=136 Survey administered to patient N=364 Chart review of Emergency Department encounter No Yes No Yes Results Conclusions There is no significant statistical difference between the numbers of noncompliant patients enrolled in Medicare Part D and those who are not. Those patients who are noncompliant generally have a greater monthly out- of-pocket cost for medications than those who are compliant. Patient Characteristics Average Age 76.6 Average Number of Medications 6.3 % Male 51.1 % Enrolled in Medicare Part D 50.1 % Noncompliant 10.2 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 % ofP atients <$99 $100 -$199 >$200 Compliant Noncompliant 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 % ofP atients <$99 $100 -$199 >$200 MPD N o M PD Figure 1. Percentage of compliant and noncompliant patients who are enrolled in Medicare Part D. MPD represents those who are enrolled in Medicare Part D and no MPD represents those who are not. Percentages are based on cross tabulations of members in each category. Figure 2. Monthly out of pocket medication expenses for both MPD and non-MPD patients who are compliant and noncompliant. Percentages are based on cross tabulations of members in each category. Figure 3. Monthly out of pocket medication expenses for both compliant noncompliant patients who are enrolled in Medicare Part D and those who not. MPD represents those who are enrolled in Medicare Part D and no M represents those who are not. Percentages are based on cross tabulation members in each category. Acknowledgements I would like to thank Dr. Bradley Rehnberg for his assistance and guidance throughout the course of this project. I would also like to thank the students of Emergency Grand Rounds I for assisting in the data collection process. 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 54 56 Compliant Noncompliant % ofP atients MPD N o M PD

Transcript of Medication Noncompliance among Elderly Emergency Department Patients Steven Kleinman, Department of...

Page 1: Medication Noncompliance among Elderly Emergency Department Patients Steven Kleinman, Department of Biology, York College; Steven Mooth, Marc Pollack,

Medication Noncompliance among Elderly Emergency Department Patients Steven Kleinman, Department of Biology, York College; Steven Mooth, Marc Pollack,

Amy Daugherty, Emergency Department, York Hospital, York PA

Introduction

Medication compliance can be defined as the extent to which a person’s medication taking behavior coincides with medical advice. There are many factors affecting compliance which include forgetting, misunderstanding of the directions, feeling better or worse, and cost related reasons.

The elderly make up a large portion of the population who regularly take prescribed medications. The factor most affecting medication compliance among this group is cost.

Prescription drug costs are on the rise and are doing so faster than the Consumer Price Index which creates a problem for those on a fixed income.

Medicare Part D is a government program that was recently established to help pay for the costs of prescription medications for those currently covered by Medicare most of whom are elderly.

Objectives

The objectives of this study were to determine if elderly emergency department patients are noncompliant for financial reasons and the impact of Medicare Part D on compliance and cost. Hypotheses

The number of noncompliant patients enrolled in the Medicare Part D program would be much less than those who are not enrolled

Those who are noncompliant would have generally greater out of pocket expenses than those who were compliant

Sample Survey Questions:

1. In the past month, what were your out-of-pocket medication expenses?

□ No charge □ $150 to $199□ $1 to $49 □ $200 to $299□ $50 to $99 □ $300+□ $100 to $149

2. During the past year have you for any reason skipped taking your medication?

□ Yes, often□ Yes, occasionally□ No

3. Do you have drug coverage insurance or another program that helps pay for your prescription medications?

□ Private Insurance□ Medicare Part D□ Prescription Assistance Program□ PACE/PACENET□ Other ____________________□ None

Methods

Patient with bed in Emergency Department

Inclusion Criteria: 65+ years old, English speaking, not critically ill, no altered mental status or consciousness

No further action takenVerbal and written consent from patient for participation in survey

N=500

Recorded as non-participant

N=136

Survey administered to patientN=364

Chart review of Emergency Department encounter

NoYes

No Yes

Results

Conclusions

There is no significant statistical difference between the numbers of noncompliant patients enrolled in Medicare Part D and those who are not.

Those patients who are noncompliant generally have a greater monthly out-of-pocket cost for medications than those who are compliant.

Patient Characteristics

Average Age 76.6

Average Number of Medications 6.3

% Male 51.1

% Enrolled in Medicare Part D

50.1

% Noncompliant 10.2

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

% of Patients

<$99 $100 - $199 >$200

Compliant

Noncompliant

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

% of Patients

<$99 $100 - $199 >$200

MPD

No MPD

Figure 1. Percentage of compliant and noncompliant patients who are enrolled in Medicare Part D. MPD represents those whoare enrolled in Medicare Part D and no MPD represents those who arenot. Percentages are based on cross tabulations of members in each category.

Figure 2. Monthly out of pocket medication expenses for both MPD and non-MPD patients who are compliant and noncompliant. Percentages are based on cross tabulations of members in each category.

Figure 3. Monthly out of pocket medication expenses for both compliant and noncompliant patients who are enrolled in Medicare Part D and those who are not. MPD represents those who are enrolled in Medicare Part D and no MPD represents those who are not. Percentages are based on cross tabulations of members in each category.

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank Dr. Bradley Rehnberg for his assistance and guidance throughout the course of this project. I would also like to thank the students of Emergency Grand

Rounds I for assisting in the data collection process.

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Compliant Noncompliant

% of PatientsMPD

No MPD