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Coordination Counts 

Triumphs, Failures in Health Care Team Collaborations Focus of Geriatric Medication Safety Symposium 

April 30 — The fourth Geriatric Medication Safety Symposium, a National Institute on Aging-supported event organized by the É«»¨Ìà College of Pharmacy and the McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, targeted the critical importance of team-based coordination and monitoring for the health and quality of life of older adult patients. 

Held virtually and in-person April 24-25 at the Denton A. Cooley, MD and Ralph C. Cooley, DDS University Life Center in Houston's Texas Medical Center, the symposium brought together practitioners, researchers and student and postdoctoral trainees in medicine, pharmacy, nursing and dentistry from multiple academic institutions and health care organizations in the Greater Houston/Galveston area and beyond. Research data and findings were shared in a variety of formats, including a workshop, panel, poster and podium presentations, and plenary sessions from leading experts in the field.

Joshua Niznik, Pharm.D., Ph.D., assistant professor at the University of North Carolina (UNC) Eshelman School of Pharmacy/UNC School of Medicine, led the workshop entitled "Operationalizing Real-world Data for the Evaluation of Deprescribing in Older Adults."

"Aligning Medications with What Matters Most for People with Dementia: Implementing Team-based Deprescribing in Primary Care" was discussed by Ariel Green, M.D., MPH, Ph.D., associate professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. 

Carolyn Pickering, Ph.D., R.N., professor and Isla Carroll Turner Chair in Gerontological Nursing at UTHealth Cizik School of Nursing, offered insights into "Medication Administration Practices and Potential Chemical Restraint Use by Dementia Family Caregivers."

"Elevating Patients and Care-partners to Team Members Focused on Preventing Medication Harm" was presented by Robert G. Wahler, Pharm.D., BCGP, FASCP, CPE, clinical associate professor at the University at Buffalo (UAB) School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences; director of clinical pharmacy services at Niagara Hospice, and research associate professor UAB's Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. 

The panel session, "Saving Alice: A Team Based Approach," offered insights on the tragic case of Alice Brennan, who died after a cascade of avoidable medication safety errors and hospital-acquired infections over 10 days in community hospital and rehabilitation facility settings. Moderated by Wahler, the panel featured first-hand accounts of mistakes and process improvement practices from a variety of :

• Brennan's daughter, Mary K. Brennan-Taylor, adjunct research instructor of Family Medicine UAB, charter member of the Patient Safety Action Network, and co-founder of the Team Alice initiative;  
• Myla A. Magno, DNP, APRN, GNP-BC, PMHNP-BC, GS-C, medical consultant provider in the Community Care Nursing Home Program/State Veterans Home Program at Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center's Social Work Services Department;
• Bianca Romero Widmer, Pharm.D., BCGP, BCPS, senior manager, clinical pharmacy, at Suvida Healthcare; and
• Mahveen Sohail, M.D., geriatrician at The University of Texas-MD Anderson Cancer Center.

In addition to continuing education credits provided to attendees, awards were presented for the top presentations among the four podium sessions and 17 posters displayed at the symposium. É«»¨ÌÃCOP Ph.D. student Sai Cheruvu won for her podium presentation, "Longitudinal Patterns and Predictors of Adherence to Triple Therapy in Older Adults: A Group-Based Trajectory Approach," and Texas Southern University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Associate Professor Creaque C. Tyler, Pharm.D., BCGP, won for her poster entitled "Embrace Medication Telehealth in Older Adults."

The symposium was co-chaired by grant principal investigators Rajender R. Aparasu, Ph.D., FAPhA, É«»¨ÌÃCOP Mustafa F. & Sanober Lokhandwala Professor and chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical Health Outcomes and Policy, and Holly M. Holmes, M.D., M.S., AGSF,  Joan & Stanford Alexander Chair in Gerontology, professor, and director of the Joan & Stanford Alexander Division of Geriatric and Palliative Medicine at UTHealth McGovern Medical School.

"Mary’s story about her mom, Alice, really moved the attendees and called for action for team-based care to minimize lapses in medication safeguards, which can result in severe and sometimes tragic consequences," Aparasu said. "I applaud our exceptional plenary and workshop leaders and panel members for sharing critical insights for improving the quality of pharmaceutical care for older adults."

Visit the to view more photos from the event.