Document Type

Article

Publication Date

8-2015

Publication Title

Health Services Research

DOI

10.1111/1475-6773.12281

Abstract

Objective

The objective of this study is to examine how nursing homes changed their use of antipsychotic and other psychoactive medications in response to Nursing Home Compare's initiation of publicly reporting antipsychotic use in July 2012.

Research Design and Subjects

The study includes all state recertification surveys (n = 40,415) for facilities six quarters prior and post the initiation of public reporting. Using a difference-in-difference framework, the change in use of antipsychotics and other psychoactive medications is compared for facilities subject to public reporting and facilities not subject to reporting.

Principal Findings

The percentage of residents using antipsychotics, hypnotics, or any psychoactive medication is found to decline after public reporting. Facilities subject to reporting experienced an additional decline in antipsychotic use (−1.94 vs. −1.40 percentage points) but did not decline as much for hypnotics (−0.60 vs. −1.21 percentage points). Any psychoactive use did not vary with reporting status, and the use of antidepressants and anxiolytics did not change.

Conclusion

Public reporting of an antipsychotic quality measure can be an effective policy tool for reducing the use of antipsychotic medications—though the effect many only exist in the short run.

Comments

This is an Accepted Author Manuscript obtained from PMC. The publisher's final edited version of this article is available at Health Services Research.

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