Toolkits - Home Health
Medications Management in Home Health Care Toolkit Introduction
This Toolkit includes materials an agency needs to get started implementing the model including
- an algorithm on how to use an agency's existing medication and clinical database to screen for potential problems and
- a flowchart of the procedure to resolve medication problems
The toolkit includes protocols to use in addressing 4 broad medication problems identified by an expert panel and tested in a randomized control trial:
- Unnecessary therapeutic duplication,
- cardiovascular medication problems,
- use of psychotropic drugs in patients with possible adverse psychomotor effects, and;
- use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) in patients at high risk of peptic ulcer complications.
Several problems for which home health patients are at high risk were identified by the expert panel but not tested in clinical trial for logistical reasons.
- Warfarin and interacting drugs for agencies providing in-home anti-coagulant monitoring
- and Doses outside Geriatric Range (with a caveat to expect false positives.) Protocols are NOT available for these problems.
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Medications Management Model Toolkit
Table of Contents
1. Algorithm: to detect medication-related problems
2. Model Flow Chart:
Procedures for resolution of potential medication problems
3. Protocols: Each protocol file includes a statement of the problem, the goal of therapy and a proposed solution. The protocol also includes guidelines for medication use, a suggested approach for informing the physician and references. Some protocols address barriers to compliance and provide suggested interventions.
a. Unnecessary Therapeutic Duplication
c. Psychotropic Medication with Falls and/or Confusion
- Benzodiazepines
- Diphenhydramine use
- Anti-depressants
- Anti-psychotics
4. Nursing Guidelines: Each Nursing Guideline provides a handy one page synopsis of potential clinical problems, therapeutic goals and solutions as well as discussion points to reconsider with the physician and patient/caregiver.
5. Pharmacist/Drug Utilization Review Coordinator Forms: The Pharmacist/Drug Utilization Review file contains forms to document pharmacist consultation and follow-up, as well as a form to summarize interventions and outcomes.
- First consultation form
- Follow-up consultation forms
- Summary forms