NCT02336113

Brief Summary

Earlier studies have shown that pharmacists detect and solve drug related problems (DRPs) when they are a part of the multidisciplinary treatment-team at hospital wards. However, in the Norwegian health care system, there is a lack of studies on the effect of pharmacist intervention on clinically relevant outcomes. Hospital readmissions has both clinical and economical negative effects, and time outside the hospital until an eventual readmission is considered as a clinical relevant outcome measure. The investigators are conducting a randomized controlled trial at an internal medicine ward at Oslo University Hospital. 400 acute admitted patients using minimum 4 regular drugs from minimum 2 drug groups will be enrolled in the study. Patients randomized to the Control group will receive standard care (without a pharmacist involved) and patients randomized to the Intervention group will receive a pharmacist in their treatment team during the hospital stay. The study hypothesis is that including a pharmacist in the multidisciplinary treatment team at a hospital ward, will improve the patients drug treatment, hence lead to an increased time outside the hospital until an eventual readmission. The inclusion of patients was completed March 17th 2016 With 399 patients randomised. The last day of follow-up on readmission and mortality was December 31, 2017. The Application process for outcome data to the Norwegian Patient Registry and the Norwegian Cause of Death Registry started in June 2017 and lasted until May 2018. Huge workload at the Registers entails a very long processing time for outcome data. On May 25, 2018 the statistical analysis plan was finalized and signed, hereunder the analysis population defined and the endpoint analyses detailed. Outcome datafiles from patient registries was prepared for analysis May 29 to June 6, 2018. Blinded outcome analyses was conducted June 8, 2018. \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ The investigators have obtained approval for a protocol amendment to use the data from the study in further analyses togheter with data from 100 new patients admitted to the internal medicine ward. The hypothesis is that a set of patient characteristics can identify patients who are at high risk of drug-related readmissions and who would benefit most from the pharmaceutical intervention.The investigators aim to identify these patients by building a statistical model based on significant variables from the 399 patients collected in the randomised controlled trial. The statistical model will be validated using data from 100 new patients admitted to the internal medicine ward. The inclusion of patients to this New sample was finalised July 6th 2018 (primary completion). Data on hospital readmissions and death will be collected from the Norwegian Patient Registry and the Norwegian Cause of Death Registry in June 2020.

Trial Health

43
At Risk

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Trial has exceeded expected completion date
Enrollment
400

participants targeted

Target at P75+ for not_applicable

Timeline
Completed

Started Aug 2014

Longer than P75 for not_applicable

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
unknown

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

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Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

June 26, 2014

Completed
1 month until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

August 1, 2014

Completed
5 months until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

January 12, 2015

Completed
3.5 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

July 6, 2018

Completed
2 years until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

June 30, 2020

Completed
Last Updated

March 5, 2020

Status Verified

March 1, 2020

Enrollment Period

3.9 years

First QC Date

June 26, 2014

Last Update Submit

March 3, 2020

Conditions

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • Days outside hospital until an eventual first readmission

    Calculated as the difference between the Control- and intervention group in the intention-to-treat population with data from The Norwegian Patient Register

    12 months after hospital discharge

Study Arms (2)

Control group

NO INTERVENTION

Standard care during hospital stay, without pharmacist involved

Pharmacist intervention

EXPERIMENTAL

A pharmacist is included in the multidisciplinary treatment team during the hospital stay

Behavioral: multidisciplinary treatment

Interventions

The pharmacist will conduct medication reconciliation at admission, perform medication reviews during the hospital stay and provide drug information (written and oral) to the patient before discharge, as well as written drug information to the next level of care

Pharmacist intervention

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years+
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • acute admitted patients using minimum 4 regular drugs from minimum 2 drug groups at admittance
  • Norwegian personal identification number

You may not qualify if:

  • terminally ill
  • not able no communicate in Norwegian or English and an interpreter is not available
  • patients isolated due to severe infections
  • readmitted patients earlier included are not re-included

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

Oslo University Hospital

Oslo, 0450, Norway

Location

Related Publications (1)

  • Lea M, Mowe M, Molden E, Kvernrod K, Skovlund E, Mathiesen L. Effect of medicines management versus standard care on readmissions in multimorbid patients: a randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open. 2020 Dec 29;10(12):e041558. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-041558.

Study Officials

  • Morten Mowe, Associate professor

    Oslo University Hospital

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
NONE
Purpose
HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
PI Title
Associate professor, senior consultant

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

June 26, 2014

First Posted

January 12, 2015

Study Start

August 1, 2014

Primary Completion

July 6, 2018

Study Completion

June 30, 2020

Last Updated

March 5, 2020

Record last verified: 2020-03

Locations