Standardized Patient-Centered Medication Review in Home Hospice

Completed · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Hospices, Poly Pharmacy, Deprescriptions, Caregivers, Palliative Care, Prescription Drug Overuse, Interdisciplinary Communication

In brief

This is a pilot cluster randomized trial that tests the effect of a novel intervention that trains hospice staff to 1. regularly review, simplify, and align patients' prescribed medications with their goals of care as their illness progresses, and 2. support family caregivers with education that empowers them to understand each medication's use, develop skills for safe administration, and 3. understand when stopping medications may be beneficial.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT03972163

Run by

University of Massachusetts, Worcester

People needed

23

Starts

2020-01-15

Expected to finish

2023-12-31

Last updated by the study team

2025-05-21

Who can join

Age: 65 and older, up to 110. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Patient - Newly admitted home hospice enrollees, aged ≥65 years old with:
• 1. advanced life-limiting illness;
• 2. an estimated life expectancy of >1 month;
• 3. recent functional status decline (defined as change in Karnofsky Performance Status [KPS] to < 80% in prior 3 months);
• 4. polypharmacy (defined as ≥ 5 regularly scheduled medications [excluding antimicrobials]);
• 5. cognitive ability to provide informed consent based on a Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire (SPMSQ) score ≥6 OR, with a legally authorized representative who is willing and able to provide proxy consent.
• Family ("any relative, partner, friend or neighbor who has a significant personal relationship with, and provides a broad range of assistance) Caregiver -
• self-identification as "usually" or "always" providing care to the eligible patient;
• English-speaking;
• telephone access; and
• cognitive ability to participate.

You may not qualify if…

• Patient:
• Imminent death;
• pain crisis;
• no family caregiver or health care proxy
• Family Caregiver:
• no telephone access;
• cognitive impairment.

Where it is running

• Care Dimensions — Danvers, Massachusetts, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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