CompletedNot Applicable

A New Interdisciplinary Collaboration Structure to Improve Medication Safety in the Elderly

Norway516 participantsStarted 2016-09-21

Plain-language summary

Suboptimal use of medications among geriatric patients is well-known problem and leads to medication errors, re-hospitalizations and death. By using a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design the investigators aim to explore a new inter-professional working structure. The working structure is based on the scientifically and clinically acknowledged integrated medicines management (IMM) model. The overall aim of the study is to explore the effect of the new working structure on the composite endpoint re-hospitalization + visit to an emergency department during 12 months after hospital discharge.

Who can participate

Age range

70 Years

Sex

ALL

See this in plain English?

AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

Inclusion Criteria: * Aged ≥70 years * Admitted to the geriatric internal medicine ward in the University Hospital of North Norway (UNN) Tromsø or the general internal medicine ward in UNN Harstad. * Willing to provide written informed consent during hospital stay (patient or next of kin) Exclusion Criteria: * Unable to communicate in Norwegian (patient or next of kind) * Terminally ill, e.g cancer in end-life stage * Control group patients where the physician request an assessment from a pharmacist * Time from admittance to the ward to inclusion is more than 72 hours * Occupying a bed in the study wards but under the care of physicians from a non-study ward. * Planned discharged on the inclusion day

Questions worth asking your doctor

Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.

1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?

Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.

Questions for the trial coordinator

The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.

1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?

A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.

What they're measuring

Emergency medical visits

Timeframe: 12 months after hospital discharge

Trial details

NCT IDNCT02816086

SponsorUniversity of Tromso

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeINTERVENTIONAL

Primary completion2020-12-20

View on ClinicalTrials.gov More Health Services for the Aged trials