Recap: October 11th 2024:
@XiaotongLi (PhD Student, Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy Research, University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy) presentation focused on identifying potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) in older adults, a significant issue due to their increased risk of adverse events, such as higher hospitalization rates and healthcare costs. She explained that PIMs are drugs where risks often outweigh benefits, particularly when safer alternatives exist. Using the OMOP Common Data Model and RxNorm codes, her team implemented the Beers Criteria to identify 37 PIMs through computational methods. Their analysis of over 300,000 patients at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (2015–2018) revealed high incidences of inappropriate prescriptions, particularly benzodiazepines, first-generation antihistamines, and muscle relaxants.
Li emphasized that older adults’ unique physiological changes affect drug dynamics, making the identification of PIMs crucial. Her team crafted logic for defining PIM exposure, leveraging data standardization through the Odyssey platform. Their analysis showed a PIM incidence rate of 193.5 per 1,000 person-years. She highlighted that this work could improve pharmacovigilance and patient safety by incorporating PIM definitions into the OHDSI Phenotype Library to enable broader institutional comparability and further research.
She concluded by inviting guidance on integrating their work into the OHDSI (Observational Health Data Sciences and Informatics) ecosystem, hoping it would contribute to enhanced patient care and quality improvement.