Physicians´ opinion on a Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS) to estimate individual medication-related falls risk: International survey

11 March 2019

In people aged 65 years and over, falls-related injuries are one of the main reasons for hospital emergency department attendances, acute hospital admissions and subsequent transfer to nursing-home care. A fall is defined as an unexpected event in which the patient comes to rest on the ground, floor or lower level. Falls are a significant public health priority due to their frequent occurrence, and related injuries, associated decreased quality of life and economic burden.

After mobility impairment, medication is the second most major cause of falls. However, recent studies have shown that doctors struggle to withdraw Falls-Risk Increasing Drugs (FRIDs) in clinical practice. This survey is part of a larger project which aims to develop and implement a Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS). This CDSS will help you to estimate the medication-related falls risk associated with individual drugs in the patient’s medication regime. The CDSS will combine patients’ personalized risk information with safer medication alternatives for FRIDs. In so doing, it aims to aid health care providers in the decision-making process on FRID withdrawal.

With the help of this questionnaire we would like to explore:

  • the current practice of medication review in patients who have suffered a fall
  • your needs and preferences regarding a CDSS system
  • factors that could affect the CDSS implementation

This survey will take approximately 10-15 minutes and is open until 1 of May.

This questionnaire is intended to be completed by Physicians (GPs and Hospital Specialists) and other health care professionals who see in their clinical practice older adults (≥ 65 years) who are at risk of falls.

This survey will be conducted in 12 European countries. The coordinating centre for the study is the Geriatric Medicine Department of the Academic Medical Centre in Amsterdam.

The survey was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the Academic Medical Centre and is performed under the responsibility of the Academic Medical Centre in Amsterdam. You are therefore guaranteed that:

  1. Your personal information and data will be processed anonymously and will not be distributed to third parties.
  2. Participation is voluntary, meaning that you can withdraw from participation at any time during or after the survey without providing any reason.

We hope that we have given you sufficient information about the survey in this letter.  However, in case you have any remarks or complaints about the process used or procedure followed, please contact the local Representative for this study: Yvonne Morrissey, Department of Health Care of Older People, Kent and  Canterbury Hospital, Ethelbert Road, Canterbury, CT1 3NG. Telephone No 01227 766877 Extension 722 4208

We look forward to your participation in this survey which you can access here.

Yours sincerely,

Dr. Yvonne Morrissey

Kim Ploegmakers, MSc

Dr. Annemiek Linn

Dr. Nathalie van de Velde

Prof. Julia van Weert