The financial costs of anticipatory prescribing: A retrospective observational study of prescribed, administered and wasted medications using community clinical records.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The prescribing of injectable end-of-life anticipatory medications ahead of possible need is recommended best practice. The financial costs of these medications have been little studied.

Aim

To identify the costs of anticipatory medications prescribed, used and not used for patients approaching the end-of-life at home and in residential care.

Design

Retrospective observational study using general practitioner and community nursing clinical records.

Setting/participants

Data were collected from eleven general practitioner practices using the records of the 30 most recent deaths per practice. Patients were aged 18+ and died between 2017 and 2019 from any cause except trauma, sudden death or suicide.

Results

Anticipatory medications were prescrib

SUBMITTER: Morgan L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10657495 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature