Predictors of ceasing or reducing statin medication following a large increase in the consumer copayment for medications: a retrospective observational study.

Objectives: Previous Australian research has shown that following the 21% increase in patient copayments for medications on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) in 2005, the use of lipid-lowering therapy declined by 5%. This study aimed to determine the demographic and clinical characteristics of individuals who continued, reduced or ceased their use of statin medication in 2005.

Study Type: Retrospective observational study using routinely collected administrative data.

Medication safety programs in primary care: a scoping review.

Background: Medication safety plays an essential role in all healthcare organizations; improving this area is paramount to quality and safety of any wider healthcare program. While several medication safety programs in the hospital setting have been described and the associated impact on patient safety evaluated, no systematic reviews have described the impact of medication safety programs in the primary care setting. A preliminary search of the literature demonstrated that no systematic reviews, meta-analysis or scoping reviews have reported on medication safety programs in primary care; instead they have focused on specific interventions such as medication reconciliation or computerized physician order entry.

Medication safety programs in primary care: a scoping review protocol.

The objective of this scoping review is to examine the characteristics of medication safety programs in the primary care setting and to map evidence on the outcome measures used to assess the effectiveness of medication safety programs in improving patient safety.The current review will be guided by the following research questions.

Anticholinesterase duration in the Australian veteran population.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to determine the duration of initial anticholinesterase treatment in veteran patients in Australia. Three anti-dementia medications were investigated (donepezil, rivastigmine and galantamine) and two different setting were compared (community and residential aged care facilities).

Method: A retrospective cohort study was performed using the Department of Veterans' Affairs pharmacy claims data.