A complete digital recording and evaluation of all prescription drugs could prevent 70,000 deaths per year in Germany. The Barmer health insurance company, in collaboration with the Westphalia-Lippe Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians, conducted a study from July 2017 to June 2021 to investigate the impact of digital recording and evaluation of all prescription drugs. The study involved 940 general practitioners and 11,000 patients with polypharmacy, meaning people who need to take five or more medications simultaneously. The doctors received, for the first time in Germany, the complete medical history of their patients digitally, with the consent of the patients, which was determined based on the routine data of the health insurance company. The doctors were thus well informed about the pre-existing conditions and prescribed medications of their patients. They also received automatic alerts about possible therapy risks, such as dangerous interactions.
According to the Drug Report 2022, such a system would prevent about 70,000 deaths per year nationwide. Mortality compared to conventional medical care would decrease by 10 to 20 percent. “With AdAM, we are showing for the first time that the use of routine health insurance data for treatment support and electronically supported testing for avoidable risks enables doctors to provide better treatment for their patients. When used extensively by general practitioners, AdAM can prevent 65,000 to 70,000 deaths per year nationwide,” said the study’s authors. The study also examined the complexity of medical data. Insured persons over 40 years of age receive an average of 76 prescriptions over a period of ten years. 27 percent of insured persons receive 100 or more prescriptions during this period. In the top ten percent of insured persons over 90 years of age, there were 257 or more prescriptions over ten years. “Given the complexity of drug therapy, it is difficult for doctors to keep track of and assess medication risks,” the authors added.
This study highlights the potential benefits of digital recording and evaluation of prescription drugs in improving patient care and reducing mortality rates. With the use of routine health insurance data, doctors can be better informed about their patients’ medical history and medication use, and receive alerts about potential therapy risks. This system could prevent thousands of deaths per year and improve the overall quality of healthcare in Germany.
