Bundled Hyperpolypharmacy Deprescribing: Implementation and Evaluation of a System-wide Quality Improvement Intervention

Older patients using many prescription drugs (hyperpolypharmacy) may be at increased risk of adverse drug effects. This randomized controlled trial tested the effectiveness and safety of a quality intervention intended to reduce hyperpolypharmacy. The study was set at Kaiser Permanente Northern California, an integrated health system with multiple pre-existing deprescribing workflows. Eligible patients were aged ≥76 years using ≥10 prescription medications. The intervention included physician-pharmacist collaborative drug therapy management, standard-of-care practice recommendations, shared decision-making, and deprescribing protocols administered by telephone over multiple cycles for a maximum of 180 days after allocation. A priori primary effectiveness endpoints included change in the number of medications and in the prevalence of geriatric syndrome from 181-365 days after allocation. Second endpoints included utilization and adverse drug withdrawal effects. Information was obtained from the electronic health record.