Appropriateness of use of medicines in elderly inpatients: qualitative study.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the processes leading to inappropriate use of medicines for elderly patients admitted for acute care. DESIGN: Qualitative study with semistructured interviews with doctors, nurses, and pharmacists; focus groups with inpatients; and observation on the ward by clinical pharmacists for one month. SETTING: Five acute wards for care of the elderly in Belgium. PARTICIPANTS: 5 doctors, 4 nurses, and 3 pharmacists from five acute wards for the interviews; all professionals and patients on two acute wards for the observation and 17 patients (from the same two wards) for the focus... Mehr ...