Use of Nine or More Medicines

Identifying Attributes

Care Settings
Residential Aged Care
Country
Australia
Publishing Organisation
Victoria State Government Department of Health: Public Sector Residential Aged Care Services (PSRACS)
Type of Quality Indicator
Process
IOM Quality Dimension
Safety
Domain
Medication-Related

Defining Attributes

Definition

Nine or more medicines per 1,000 occupied bed days.

Numerator

Number of residents using nine or more different medicines.

Denominator

Number of occupied bed-days for all residents (include respite), divided by 1000.

Exclusions

Lotions/creams/ointments used in wound care, dietary supplements (including those containing vitamins), alcohol (even if it is written up on medication chart), short-term medicines, such as antibiotics, temporary eye drops, PRN medicines.

Use of Risk Adjustment
No
Risk Adjustments

None

Stratifications

None

Data Attributes

Type of Data Collection
Standardised clinical data
Data Collection Methods

Data collected as quarterly audit of resident medication charts and/or administration records. Audit conducted on one nominated week in the quarter.

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

Publicly reported quarterly. Individualised LTCF public reporing with benchmarking for each QI (iservice size, region, care level). Traffic light icons to indicate where results fall within upper and lower reference ranges. Also provides a summary report and a consumer report.

Reporting Frequency
90 days
Reporting Frequency in Days
90
Indicator Has Recommended Targets
Yes

Source and Reference Attributes

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)
Yes
Australian Consortium for Aged Care Endorsed
No
Identified by PHARMA-Care Project
No
Upload Date
12 March 2025