Treatment Interventions for Dementia-Related Psychosis: Current and Future Strategies to Reduce Healthcare Spending

Treatment Interventions for Dementia-Related Psychosis: Current and Future Strategies to Reduce Healthcare Spending

On-Demand Accredited Online Article

Faculty

Megan Maroney, PharmD, BCPP
Clinical Associate Professor
Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy at Rutgers
The State University of New Jersey
Piscataway, New Jersey
 
Program Description
Care for older adult patients with dementia-related psychosis can be costly, with total global economic cost increasing from $279.6 billion in 2000 to $948 billion in 2016. Much of the cost of care for these patients is related to nursing home stays and hospitalizations, though many personnel in these care settings lack adequate training for addressing agitation, aggression, or the delusions and hallucinations associated with dementia-related psychosis. Current guideline recommendations gives preference to nonpharmaceutical interventions, with antipsychotics reserved for use with patients experiencing severe symptoms. Accountable care organizations must take on the responsibility of providing their specialists with adequate behavioral and mental healthcare training, especially for patients presenting with dementia-related psychosis, as it may reduce use of healthcare services throughout the system. Antipsychotic indication restrictions, regulations, and billing requirements can also financially impact the institution caring for the patient. The clinical and economic data presented in this activity can be incorporated into quality initiatives to reduce healthcare spending and improve institution-based management strategies for patients with behavioral and mental health conditions, such as dementia-related psychosis.

Target audience: Managed care pharmacists
Type of activity: Application
Release date: June 30, 2021
Expiration date: July 15, 2022
Time to complete activity: 2.0 hours
Fee: Free

Educational Objectives
At the completion of this activity, participants will be able to:

• Explain the clinical presentation of dementia and the high rate of psychosis in this population as well as its effect on patients and institution-based caregivers.
• Examine off-label use of first- and second-generation antipsychotic medications for dementia-related psychosis.
• Analyze factors driving cost of care as well as economic spending data for existing and new classes of drug therapy for dementia-related psychosis.
• Investigate strategies to reduce inappropriate spending associated with dementia-related psychosis treatment.

 Pharmacy Times Continuing Education™ is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) as a provider of continuing pharmacy education. This activity is approved for 2.0 contact hours (0.20 CEU) under the ACPE universal activity number 0290-0000-21-239-H01-P. The activity is available for CE credit through July 15, 2022.


Instructions for Completing the Activity and Receiving CPE Credit
To receive CPE credit, participants must complete the pretest, read the article in its entirety, complete the posttest, and complete the online activity evaluation. After successful completion of the online activity evaluation, you can submit your credit to CPE Monitor. You may view your credit within 48 hours at www.mycpemonitor.net. All participants must request credit before the activity expiration date. CE credit will not be issued after this date.
 

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Disclosures

Megan Maroney, PharmD, BCPP, has the following relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose:
Consultant: Novus Medical Education
Speakers Bureau: Otsuka Pharmaceuticals
Grant/research Support: CPNP Foundation Defining the Future

Pharmacy Times Continuing Education™ Planning Staff – Jim Palatine, RPh, MBA; Maryjo Dixon, RPh; Crissy Wilson; Susan Pordon; Brianna Winters; and Chloe Taccetta have no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose.

Anonymous peer reviewers were used as part of content validation and conflict resolution. The peer reviewers have no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose.

Educational Disclaimer
CPE activities are offered solely for educational purposes and do not constitute any form of professional advice or referral. Discussions concerning drugs, dosages, and procedures may reflect the clinical experience of the author(s) or they may be derived from the professional literature or other sources and may suggest uses that are investigational in nature and not approved labeling or indications. Participants are encouraged to refer to primary references or full prescribing information resources.

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