One of the most typical challenges in contemporary healthcare is polypharmacy. Polypharmacy denotes the application of multiple drugs by a patient to treat a condition(s). Polypharmacy leads to numerous problems for the individual and society at large. As such, the proposed project seeks to establish robust and well-equipped diagnostic and laboratory facilities in long-term care facilities to reduce the phenomenon of polypharmacy. Studies strongly indicate that most instances of polypharmacy result due to inconclusive diagnostic findings, leading to the application of several drugs in hopes of treating the unknown cause of disease.
The proposed project seeks to establish the impact of well-equipped diagnostic facilities, complete with qualified laboratory technologists, in reducing the haphazard treatment approach entailed in polypharmacy in such long-term care centres. Hence, the study will state the value of precise sensitivity tests in care settings in lowering polypharmacy (Gabauer, 2020). Moreover, combined drugs’ use to tackle polypharmacy will come into view following the establishment of the diagnostic facilities.
Credible studies indicate that polypharmacy is a solemn medical problem that often leads to health issues like depression, tremors, confusion, anxiety, loss of appetite, and increased antibiotic resistance. The misuse of antibiotics means that previously treatable ailments become untreatable due to the emergence of superbugs (McNamara et al. 2017). Despite the adverse impacts of polypharmacy, surveys suggest that it remains highly prevalent in long-term care facilities (LTCFs).
Many LTCFs globally report that over 65% of the residents engage in polypharmacy. The issue affects the patients and poses significant challenges to the entire globe regarding the treatment of diseases. Thus, the project seeks to halt a problem occurring in LTCFs and aid the healthcare world in overcoming infections rather than creating super-infections.
References
Gabauer, J. (2020). Mitigating the Dangers of Polypharmacy in Community-Dwelling Older Adults. AJN American Journal of Nursing, 120(2), 35–43.
McNamara, K. P., Breken, B. D., Alzubaidi, H. T., Bell, J. S., Dunbar, J. A., Walker, C., & Hernan, A. (2017). Health professional perspectives on the management of multi-morbidity and polypharmacy for older patients in Australia. Age & Ageing, 46(2), 291–299.