Medication management focus of new LeadingAge CAST tools

The LeadingAge Center for Aging Services Technologies (CAST) has released a new portfolio of free tools designed to help long-term and post-acute care (LTPAC) organizations identify and select the appropriate medication management technology solutions that best fit their needs.

The products are designed to reduce medication-related errors and improve coordination and communication across the various phases of medication management. These phases include prescribing/ordering, order communication, medication dispensing, and dosage administration. Some products also support medication adherence among independent patients to maximize benefits.

“When we consider the fact that older adults are prescribed multiple medications and that they are often dealing with multiple care providers who don’t necessarily coordinate with each other, regular medication reviews and medication reconciliation must be top priorities for providers,” said Majd Alwan, PhD, LeadingAge senior vice president for technology, executive director of CAST and Long-Term Living editorial board member. “There are many technologies that can effectively help with such issues. This portfolio of tools is a great resource to any organization that is focused on improving medication management and that is considering adopting relevant technology solutions.”

The tools in the portfolio:

• A whitepaper (PDF) designed to help organizations understand the range of issues surrounding medication management and outlines technology solutions available in the marketplace, as well as their uses and benefits. The whitepaper also provides guidance on the process of planning for and selecting appropriate technology to improve medication management.
• A matrix (PDF) that compares 15 different products from 14 vendors across 305 different functionalities.
• An online selection tool designed to help providers identify the appropriate medication management products that include their “must-have” features. Functionalities range from care setting applicability to desired features in medication ordering, clinical decision support systems, administration and/or adherence.
• A set of three case studies designed to provide real-life examples of how providers implemented medication management technologies.

The portfolio can be used by prescribers, physicians, LTPAC providers, pharmacies, and even individual consumers.