Statement on Medication Simplification in Long-Term Care Facilities by the Japanese Society of Geriatric Pharmacy

Abstract

Many older adults with long-term care needs live or stay in long-term care facilities (LTCFs) where they receive medical and nursing care. These individuals often encounter medication-related problems such as polypharmacy and complex medication regimens, including frequent administration schedules. Although considerable attention has been paid to polypharmacy in the context of optimizing medication use in older adults, there has been little emphasis on medication simplification. Recently, the Japanese Society of Geriatric Pharmacy issued statements on medication simplification in LTCFs based on a scoping review of literature and expert opinions. In these statements, medication simplification was defined as the process of reducing the number of medication administration times, ideally to once during lunchtime. The statements outline the principles and processes for achieving medication simplification through inter-professional collaboration, including consolidating and reducing the number of medication administration times per day to minimize the risk of medication errors and ensure medical safety. Medication simplification will also play a significant role in alleviating the burden of medication intake for residents and in reducing and equalizing the workload of medication administration for staff members throughout the day in LTCFs. Furthermore, these statements suggest that administering medication during lunchtime would be beneficial, as this is when LTCFs usually have an adequate number of available staff members. We hope that these statements will help ensure patient safety and facilitate successful medication optimization for all medical, nursing, and social care professionals working in LTCFs.