For patients with multiple chronic conditions, improving physician continuity or site-of-care continuity can reduce medication duplications, according to research published in Medical Care.
Researchers analyzed 8 years of data collected between 2004 and 2011 from approximately 56,000 Taiwanese patients 65 years and older.
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The rate of medication duplication ranged between 40.38 percent to 43.50 percent during the study. While site-of-care continuity decreased medication duplication, physician continuity had a stronger effect on likelihood of decreased medication duplication. The more chronic conditions a patient exhibited, the stronger the effect of either site or physician continuity had on appropriate medication prescription.
Researchers concluded continuity of care may be particularly important in insuring quality of care for older patients with multiple chronic conditions.
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