Management of multimorbidity and polypharmacy in Australia

Published recently in the journal Age and Ageing, this Australian qualitative research aimed to explore the overall healthcare team implementation of best practice for patients with multimorbidity and polypharmacy.  Most of the health care professionals interviewed "did not routinely use structured approaches to incorporate patients’ preferences in clinical decision-making, address conflicting prescriber advice, assess patients’ adherence to treatment plans or seek to optimise care plans".  The authors conclude that there are extensive shortcomings in team-based care for the management of these patients and suggest that delegating coordination to specific health care professionals may support their overall care.

McNamara, K.P. et al. (2016). Health professional perspectives on the management of multimorbidity and polypharmacy for older patients in Australia. Age and Ageing, DOI:10.1093/ageing/afw200