Is your agency using the Beers Criteria to target patients at risk for medication-related problems? If you are, you’ll be interested to hear that the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) has released updated criteria: the 2012 Beers Criteria for Potentially Inappropriate Medication (PIM) Use in Older Adults. This is the first time the criteria have been updated since 2003, and in the new partnership with AGS there is a thoughtful and evidence-based approach to improve the quality of the criteria and their use.

The goal of the 2012 AGS Beers Criteria is to improve care of older adults by reducing their exposure to PIMs. Although the criteria are intended for multiple uses, primary they are geared toward helping practicing clinicians improve the selection of prescription drugs; and to educate clinicians and patients on proper drug usage. AGS hopes that thoughtful application of the Criteria will allow for (a) closer monitoring of drug use, (b) application of real-time e-prescribing and interventions to decrease adverse drug events in older adults, and (c) better patient outcomes (AGS Expert Panel,  2012).

In addition to the new criteria, this special issue of JAGS also includes some very valuable clinical tools such as a pocket guide, and educational resources. I liked the “AGS Beers Criteria Summary for Patients & Caregivers” and “10 Medications Older Adults Should Avoid“.  There also is a New Perspectives article by the co-chairs of the expert panel, and an editorial about AGS’s role, and caveats that Criteria should not substitute for professional judgment or dictate prescribing for an individual patient (Resnick & Pacala, 2012).

The AGS has spent considerable time and resources updating the criteria and disseminating the finished product to the field. Even more importantly, AGS is making the criteria and related professional and public education materials free on the AGS website to insure  high quality care for older adults. AGS plans to add a new Smartphone Application and Teaching Slide Presentation to its portfolio of materials based on the 2012 AGS Beers Criteria, and will mail a hard copy of the Criteria pocket card to members in April.

I was very honored to have worked with the late Mark Beers during my career. I think he would be very pleased to see how the criteria that bear his name have evolved through the leadership of the AGS, and would support its plans to keep the criteria current and evidence-based.

Stay tuned to CHAMP for more discussion on the Beers Criteria and some ideas about how to apply the criteria and resource materials to improving medication management in your agency.

Dennee Frey, CHAMP Pharmacy Expert

References

1. The American Geriatrics Society 2012 Beers Criteria Update Expert Panel. AGS updated Beers Criteria for potentially inappropriate medication use in older adults. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2012 Feb 29.

2. Resnick, B. and Pacala, J. T. 2012 Beers Criteria. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2012 Feb 29.