Reducing Antipsychotic Medications: Developing a Systematic Process.

In 2012, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services began initiatives aimed at reducing the use of antipsychotic medications for behaviors related to dementia. These initiatives are based both on the high risk of serious side effects from these medications as well as a lack of documented efficacy for their use in controlling behaviors related to dementia. This article offers examples of systematic processes at both the corporate and individual practitioner/individual facility level to reduce these medications and more appropriately manage behaviors related to dementia.