Engaging Patients to Promote Deprescribing

Plain-language summary

One mechanism to reduce potentially inappropriate medications is through deprescribing, a deimplementation-based approach to thoughtfully discontinue a medication a patient is currently prescribed. Many interventions to overcome deprescribing barriers target the provider, who is already overburdened. Although some believe providers have primary responsibility for deprescribing, patient-initiated discontinuation discussions can effectively facilitate deprescribing. In a single-site pilot study, the investigators successfully engaged VA Primary Care patients to facilitate deprescribing of select potentially inappropriate medications. The investigators now propose a multisite randomized controlled trial of engaging Veterans who may be deprescribing candidates. By study end, the investigators will have established the effectiveness of an innovative, low-tech, patient-focused intervention to promote deprescribing, thereby directly improving quality, safety, and value of VA care while also setting the stage for generalization of this approach to other potentially inappropriate medications.

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Trial details