Low-value Care

Here’s how Michigan health care experts are reducing risks of medication overload

Abstract: A Lown Institute study found 750 older Americans are hospitalized daily due to serious medication side effects. With each additional drug taken, risks of serious reactions increase 7-10%. More than 40% of older Americans take five or more prescription drugs. Nearly 20% take more than 10. Add in over-the-counter medications, and that number rises to 66%.

Publication: Second Wave Michigan

Date Published: November 12, 2020

Author(s): Estelle Slootmaker

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To eliminate medication overload, serious cultural, educational, and policy changes are needed. This action plan offers recommendations for policymakers, health care institutions, clinicians, and patients across five key categories to reduce harm from multiple medication use. Suggested Citation: Eliminating medication overload: A national action plan. Working Group on Medication Overload. Brookline, MA: The Lown Institute, 2020. DOI: https://doi.org/10.46241/LI.YLBW4885

Pharmaceutical marketing is a significant factor in the growing public health crisis of medication overload, which puts millions of older adults at risk of preventable harm and premature death. This issue brief provides recommendations to reduce pharmaceutical industry influence by limiting pharma sales rep visits to clinicians and direct-to-consumer advertising.

This issue brief provides recommendations for clinical practice guidelines and electronic health records that would give clinicians the information they need to appropriately prescribe and deprescribe.