Medication Management - Polypharmacy

Identifying Attributes

Care Settings
Residential Aged Care
Country
Australia
Publishing Organisation
National Aged Care Mandatory Quality Indicator Program
Type of Quality Indicator
Process
IOM Quality Dimension
Safety
Domain
Medication-Related

Defining Attributes

Definition

Percentage of care recipients who were prescribed nine or more medications.

Numerator

Number of care recipients who were prescribed nine or more medications.

Denominator

Total number of care recipients assessed for polypharmacy.

Exclusions

Care recipients admitted in hospital on the collection date.

Use of Risk Adjustment
No
Risk Adjustments

None

Stratifications

None

Data Attributes

Type of Data Collection
Standardised clinical data
Data Collection Methods

A single review of medication charts and/or administration records for each care recipient on a selected collection date every quarter. Data items collected: Number of care recipients assessed for polypharmacy. Number of care recipients excluded because they were admitted in hospital on the collection date. Number of care recipients prescribed nine or more medications based on a review of their medication charts and/or administration records as they are on the collection date.

Frequency of Data Collection
90 days
Frequency of Data Collection in Days
90
Reporting Methods

Reported at national, state, remoteness (www.gen-agedcaredata.gov.au/Topics/Quality-in-aged-care/Residential-Aged-Care-Quality-Indicators-latest-release) and facility level (www.myagedcare.gov.au/find-a-provider/search-by-name), every quarter. Included within an overall five-star quality rating program (n=5 QIs). Contributes to Star Ratings (care recipients with one or more pressure injuries).

Reporting Frequency
Quarterly
Reporting Frequency in Days
91
Indicator Has Recommended Targets
No

Source and Reference Attributes

Evidence Source

Department of Health and Aged Care. National Aged Care Mandatory Quality Indicator Program (QI Program). 2023 www.health.gov.au/our-work/qi-program

Link to Measurement Tools
Quality Indicator Confirmed to be Part of a Program Used to Monitor Quality and Safety of Care Among Older People at a Population-Level between 2012-2022
Yes
Assessed by the Australian Consortium for Aged Care Collaborators as Generally Containing Good Properties (Importance and Scientific Acceptability)
No
Australian Consortium for Aged Care Endorsed
No
Identified by PHARMA-Care Project
No
Upload Date
12 March 2025