Connecticut HIE Tool Works to Prevent Polypharmacy

March 13, 2024
Medication Management tool developed by Connie is based on the work of its Medication Reconciliation and Polypharmacy Work Group

Healthcare providers in Connecticut are increasingly taking advantage of a medication safety tool from Connie, the state’s nonprofit health information exchange.

The Medication Management tool — developed by Connie based on the work of the Medication Reconciliation and Polypharmacy Work Group, empowers healthcare providers not only by storing medication data and advancing deduplication processes, but also dispatching critical information to the point of care. 

As a result, Connecticut providers who use Connie have greater clarity into a patient’s use of prescribed medications, allowing for the prevention of polypharmacy, or the simultaneous use of multiple drugs to treat a single ailment or condition. 

The HIE said the tool’s demonstrated impact has paved the way for expansion of the program. 
“Polypharmacy is known to cause a lot of different consequences, including increased risk for adverse drug interactions, hospitalization, falls or even death,” said Sean M. Jeffery, Pharm.D., director of clinical pharmacy services at Integrated Care Partners and a member of the Medication Reconciliation and Polypharmacy Work Group, in a statement. “Since medication reconciliation is a challenge, having the right collaborative tools at our disposal is critical. The Medication Management tool is an important step in getting all providers on the same page and improving medication safety.” 

Connie’s most recent 12-month phase of the Medication Management tool (January 2023 through December 2023) led to a significant reduction of the volume of duplicated prescribed medications for roughly 3.15 million patients across the state of Connecticut, from 187.6 million medication lines down to 21.5 million. 

“For individuals in high-risk populations, such as those who are immunocompromised, having accurate, updated information is critical to avoiding adverse events,” said Jenn Searls, MHA, executive director of Connie, in a statement. “This is truly an industry-leading tool, as polypharmacy is one of the biggest challenges facing our national healthcare system.” 

Since Jan. 1, 2023, Connie has seen participation grow to include 42 hospitals and 1,978 ambulatory facilities, and dozens of other healthcare organizations. 

Sponsored Recommendations

ASK THE EXPERT: ServiceNow’s Erin Smithouser on what C-suite healthcare executives need to know about artificial intelligence

Generative artificial intelligence, also known as GenAI, learns from vast amounts of existing data and large language models to help healthcare organizations improve hospital ...

TEST: Ask the Expert: Is Your Patients' Understanding Putting You at Risk?

Effective health literacy in healthcare is essential for ensuring informed consent, reducing medical malpractice risks, and enhancing patient-provider communication. Unfortunately...

From Strategy to Action: The Power of Enterprise Value-Based Care

Ever wonder why your meticulously planned value-based care model hasn't moved beyond the concept stage? You're not alone! Transition from theory to practice with enterprise value...

State of the Market: Transforming Healthcare; Strategies for Building a Resilient and Adaptive Workforce

The U.S. healthcare system is facing critical challenges, including workforce shortages, high turnover, and regulatory pressures. This guide highlights the vital role of technology...