The federal government is planning a targeted review of nursing home abuse of antipsychotic drugs and misdiagnosis of schizophrenia in patients.
The move comes after decades of mounting evidence that some patients are wrongly diagnosed with the mental illness or are improperly prescribed the antipsychotic drugs to sedate them.
Improper sedation is one thing, but the side effects of the drugs can be dangerous and potentially fatal.
Nursing homes are intended to provide quality care for aging Americans, including those living with serious mental health conditions.
But the rate of these otherwise rare schizophrenia diagnoses among nursing home residents have increased dramatically in recent years.
Guests:
- Amanda Seitz, Associated Press reporter
- Dr. Shekinah Fashaw-Walters, assistant professor in the Division of Health Policy & Management at the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health
- Peter Van Runkle, executive director of the Ohio Health Care Association
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