Project Less drug side effects

Model project aims to reduce interactions of pills cocktails

03/28/2014

In Saxony and Thuringia starts on July 1, the model project „ARMIN“. Doctors should prescribe to the insured of the health insurance AOK Plus, which is involved in the project in addition to doctors and pharmacists organizations, drugs instead of finished drugs. In this way, unwanted side effects are avoided, which often occur when patients have to take multiple medicines at the same time. The pharmacist should decide on the medicines based on the prescribed active ingredients. The two selected federal states are particularly suitable for the model project, as these countries have the highest proportion of patients in Germany, who must permanently take more than five medicines in parallel.

Doctors should prescribe drugs instead of finished drugs
„The aim is to focus the patient primarily on the active ingredient instead of the finished medicinal product“, shares the health insurance. „For this purpose, just under 200 drugs were selected according to professional evaluation, which have a significant relevance in primary care and were considered to be uncritical in terms of substitution.“ For example, patients with multiple illnesses could receive better advice and unwanted interactions with concomitant drugs could be avoided.

For people with more than five different medicines also so-called medication plans are to be created. These can then be presented to the doctor and pharmacist for better care. Doctors also receive a catalog listing a selection of optimal active ingredients. „He lists evidence-based standard and reserve agents for key indications of primary care“, informs the health insurance. In addition, the participating patients should follow exactly the instructions of the doctor and pharmacist when taking the medication.

Reducing drug cocktail interactions is designed to improve patient health
At the presentation of the model project in Berlin, AOK Plus Chairman Rainer Striebel pointed to the case of an 83-year-old man who has to take 32 different medicines every day. According to Striebel, the patient's entire medication must be thoroughly checked and the pharmacist and doctor advised in a detailed discussion.

„Our hope is that we will achieve better compliance, ie compliance with rules, with the participating AOK-Plus insured persons in connection with the agreed and agreed intake of medication with the doctor and pharmacist. This should benefit every participating insured person through an improved state of health“, Kassen-Chairman is quoted in a statement. „In order to support physicians and pharmacists in the care of the patients and cooperation among themselves, the contracting parties have also agreed on IT support. Participating physicians and pharmacists will work with a uniform interface standard, which will be integrated into the practice management system or the pharmacy system.“ (Ag)

Picture credits: Andrea Damm