Implementing Stimulating Innovation in the Management of Polypharmacy and Adherence Through the Years (iSIMPATHY) was a three-year European Union funded project and managed by the Special EU Programme Body in Northern Ireland, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland. The project aims were to ensure the most sustainable use of medicines for patients by training pharmacists and other healthcare professionals to deliver person-centred medicines reviews and embedding a shared approach to managing multiple medicines, typically referred to as polypharmacy.
This programme has delivered on its key objectives by improving patient safety and engagement with their medication regimens by fully adopting “what matters to me” approach. There are also significant healthcare resource utilisation benefits as indicated by a return of investment of both medication and healthcare utilisation costs, together with patient reported improvements. Finally, the approach is scalable by means of the tools and resources developed over the duration of the project.
