Correct information is the key to successful medicinal treatment of the elderly

The Medicines Information Forum brought together healthcare professionals and medicine users in the annual morning-long virtual event on 2 November 2023. This time, the theme was providing support for the elderly in medicinal treatment.

The event started with a speech by Vesa Jormanainen from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. Statistics show that the elderly, or those aged 65 and above, take more medicines and are reimbursed for medicine costs more than the rest of the population. Many people with a chronic condition take multiple medicines and are often aged 65 and above. The use of the MyKanta service varies between different parts of Finland, but in light of international comparisons on the use of similar services, the numbers in Finland are excellent. The most frequent users of the MyKanta service, or nearly two thirds of its users, sign in to the service in Uusimaa and its neighbouring regions.

General practitioner Tino Ruotsalainen talked about practical considerations concerning the medicinal treatment of the elderly. There may be significant differences between elderly individuals, which is why it is more important to consider the individual’s ability to function rather than their age. Can the elderly patient run errands and move around on their own? How is their grip strength? What about their vision and memory? Having comorbid disabilities is also common in the elderly. The older the person is and the more medical conditions they have, the more medicines they are prescribed. As we age, it takes longer for medicines to leave the body, increasing the risk of adverse effects.

From a professional’s point of view, it is important to ensure that there are no gaps in the flow of information, the patient’s care is coordinated and that commitment is created between the patient and their medicinal treatment by providing enough information about why the medicine has been prescribed and why the patient needs to take it. Essential tools include an up-to-date and updated care plan and an up-to-date list of medications the patient must carry with them. Medicinal treatment supports the individual’s well-being and independence and reduces the risk of illness and complications. In many cases, successful treatment is supported by lifestyle changes. 

Annika Koivisto, a Senior Specialist at the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), talked about the work on the Kanta medication list and its upcoming phases. The national Kanta medication list saves information about prescriptions in a centralised database called the Prescription Centre. The use of the medication list will be mandatory after the transitional period has ended, meaning that prescriptions will always by recorded in a structured manner from 1 October 2027 onwards. During the transitional period between 2025 and 2027, the information contained in the information system will be reviewed and updated. This will be done, for instance, by removing overlapping or obsolete information in healthcare and pharmacy settings. The medication list will be made available to the public on a later date. After the wide release of the medication list, individuals can update their medication list by adding information about the over-the-counter medicines they take or how they take their medicines. 

The event ended with a presentation by Hannele Kirveskoski, an advocacy specialist at the Finnish Psoriasis Association, and a joint conversation between Hannele Kirveskoski and Urpo Loukkola, a peer specialist at the Espoo Heart Association. For medicine users, the challenges that impair commitment to medicinal treatment arise from the cost and deductibles of medicines and how medicines are dosed and taken. There is also a chance that a patient may not pick up or take a medicine they have been prescribed if they do not have enough information, or they may not inject a biological medicinal product if they have a fear of needles. To combat this, healthcare professionals must give their patients correct information and discuss any concerns the patient may have with them. Healthcare professionals must ensure that the patient understands why the medicine has been prescribed and know how long they will need to take it.

Peer specialist Urpo Loukkola emphasises a healthy lifestyle. “A medicine that is right and suitable for you helps you manage your condition in addition to a healthy lifestyle. Take your medicine regularly. And if you have a loved one who is getting up there in age, I urge you to keep an eye on how they are doing and to support their medicinal treatment.” 

The event can be watched online for two weeks immediately after the live event via the web broadcast link. A subtitled recording will be uploaded to Fimea’s YouTube channel on a later date.

Fimea online news 1 November 2023:
Tune in to the Medicines Information Forum online on 2 November 2023