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Antipsychotic drug use reduced in nursing homes
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The CMS recently reported that antipsychotic drug use by nursing home residents in the United States was reduced by 9.1% from the last quarter of 2011 to the first quarter of 2013.
In 2010, more than 17% of nursing home patients received daily antipsychotic doses that exceeded recommended levels. In 2012, CMS created the National Partnership to Improve Dementia Care — a coalition of federal and state agencies, nursing homes, advocacy groups, caregivers and other organizations — to address inappropriate antipsychotic drug use among older patients. The National Partnership promotes enhanced training for nursing home staff, alternative treatments, and public reporting of antipsychotic drug use data.
"This important partnership to improve dementia care in nursing homes is yielding results," Patrick Conway, MD, CMS chief medical officer and director of the Center for Clinical Standards and Quality, said in a press release. "We will continue to work with clinicians, caregivers, and communities to improve care and eliminate harm for people living with dementia."
Patrick Conway
According to the CMS, there would be approximately 30,000 more nursing home residents taking antipsychotics if rates had remained the same as they were before the creation of the National Partnership. The agency said at least 11 states have met or exceeded the target prevalence rate of 15%, including Alabama, Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, Maine, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee and Vermont.