Medication Appropriateness Tool for Comorbid Health conditions during Dementia
Criteria for managing medication in people with dementia.
The Medication Appropriateness Tool for Comorbid Health conditions during Dementia (MATCH-D) criteria are a set of clinical guidelines designed to support clinicians in managing medication use for people with dementia, focusing on overall health rather than solely on dementia management. Developed by medical practitioners and pharmacists at Australian Group of Eight Universities and led by Dr Amy Page at the University of Western Australia, the criteria were created through a consensus panel using the Delphi method and published in 2016.
- field
- Clinical guidelines for medication management in dementia
- developed_by
- Medical practitioners and pharmacists at Australian Group of Eight Universities
- lead_developer
- Dr Amy Page at the Western Australian Centre for Health and Ageing, University of Western Australia
- publication_year
- 2016
- method
- Delphi method consensus panel
- known_for
- Supporting medication appropriateness for people with dementia across all stages
Lore & Background
The MATCH-D criteria were developed through a rigorous process, with the protocol published in BMJ Open in 2015 and the criteria themselves in the Internal Medicine Journal in 2016. A systematic review informing the criteria was published in 2018 and updated in 2022. The criteria are presented in categories of recommendations for all stages of dementia, as well as specific recommendations for early, mid, and late-stage dementia, covering areas such as medication side effects, principles for medication use, medication review, treatment goals, preventative medications, symptom management, psycho-active medications, and medications to modify dementia progression.
Reader's Guide
The MATCH-D criteria have been widely adopted by respected organizations, including the British Geriatrics Society, which incorporated them into its medicines management guidelines, and New Zealand's Health Quality & Safety Commission. They are cited and promoted by influential professional bodies in many countries, such as the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners' Silver Book, the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia's Choosing Wisely series, and the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. Translational research with consumers, general practitioners, nurses, and pharmacists identified enablers and barriers to using the criteria, leading to the creation of a website (MATCH-D.com.au), checklists, and educational resources. Research at King's College London estimated that up to 10 million people with dementia globally require hospital treatment each year due to medicines-related harm, and concluded that successful implementation of MATCH-D would require re-evaluation of these hazards. The National Health and Medical Research Council is funding a randomized controlled trial implementing MATCH-D using pharmacists embedded in general practice.
Did You Know?
- The MATCH-D criteria were developed using the Delphi method by a consensus panel of experts.
- More than one-quarter of Australian consultant pharmacists report using the MATCH-D during Home Medicine Reviews.
- The criteria are incorporated into the TaperMD decision support tool and the PIMSPlus platform, hastening uptake in Canada.
- An interactive online education package centered on the MATCH-D was launched in mid-2019, funded by Dementia Training Australia.
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