Date of Award

2018

Embargo Period

8-1-2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

College

College of Health Professions

First Advisor

Kit N. Simpson

Second Advisor

Annie N. Simpson

Third Advisor

William P. Moran

Fourth Advisor

David J. Taber

Fifth Advisor

James S Zoller

Abstract

This retrospective cohort study uses 2013 Marketscan® claims data to quantify healthcare resource utilization and national healthcare costs attributable to using potentially inappropriate medications represented in 2012 Beers Criteria. We compare hospital admissions, days spent in the hospital, and total healthcare costs generated from inpatient and outpatient visits and prescription medication use for community-dwelling Medicare patients that received medications in Beers Criteria compared to a well-matched group of patients that received medications not included in Beers Criteria. Using Beers Criteria medications is associated with greater odds of hospital admission. Of those that are hospitalized, patients using Beers Criteria medications experience a greater number of hospital admissions and spend more days in the hospital compared to patients treated with medications not in Beers Criteria. We found total inpatient, outpatient, and prescription drug costs to be higher on average for patients that received Beers Criteria medications, and these patients were responsible for significantly higher annual healthcare costs in 2013. This study suggests the importance reducing the risk of unnecessary hospitalizations attributed to using inappropriate medications to minimize the burden the elderly population will have on our national healthcare system in the future.

Rights

All rights reserved. Copyright is held by the author.

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