New publication: Mapping care pathways for benzodiazepine deprescribing in older adults
We are pleased to share that our study, Mapping care trajectories for hospital-initiated benzodiazepine deprescribing in older adults: a multicentre qualitative study, has been published in BMC Health Services Research!
What happens when deprescribing starts in hospital—and how can patients receive continued support afterwards? Our study explored these questions across Belgium, Greece, Norway, Poland, Spain and Switzerland, drawing on surveys and interviews with researchers, healthcare professionals, patients and informal carers.
The team developed nine validated care pathway maps, showing how deprescribing takes place across different hospital settings and connects with primary care.
Key findings:
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Deprescribing involves several healthcare professionals, making coordination between hospital and primary care essential.
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Patient involvement in shared decision-making was considered crucial, but was not consistently integrated into routine care.
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Fragmented care and poor communication hindered follow-up and continuity of support.
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Approaches need to reflect local healthcare settings, with stronger collaboration, practical guidance and opportunities for patients to participate in decisions.
These findings highlight the importance of supporting patients throughout their deprescribing journey. Care pathway maps could help teams identify gaps and integrate patient-centred deprescribing into everyday practice.
đź“– Read more:
➡️ Our publications page
➡️ The published article in BMC Health Services Research
BE-SAFE in a nutshell
The BE-SAFE project is targeting patient safety by addressing knowledge and practice gaps related to the reduction of medications used for sleep problems in Europe. Experts and patients are involved to promote an interdisciplinary and inter-sectorial approach. BE-SAFE is a European research project funded by the European Commission Horizon programme under the work programme HORIZON-HLTH-2021-CARE-05-01: Enhancing quality of care and patient safety) and by the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) (contract No 22.00116). The project duration will be from 2022 to 2027.
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Press contact |
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Prof. Anne Spinewine |
Laura Fernández Maldonado |
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Project coordinator |
Communication Coordinator |
