The use of multiple medications concurrently is linked to the prescribing of potentially unsuitable drugs and preventable adverse effects related to medicines. An innovative intervention directed by pharmacists seeks to detect and address unsuitable prescribing in elderly individuals experiencing polypharmacy. To perform an initial evaluation of the intervention's practicality in a primary care environment, examining whether particular elements of the intervention's protocols and operations could be implemented as planned. This study, employing both quantitative and qualitative approaches, obtained ethical clearance from the New Zealand Health and Disability Ethics Committees as well as the relevant public health authority. Over a four-week period, individuals attending a general practice in New Zealand were enrolled to undergo the intervention. The initial practicality review encompassed aspects such as delivery of the intervention, outcomes reported by participants, and feedback from ten participants and six healthcare providers. Analysis involved statistical examination and thematic interpretation of data to assess the justification for a larger-scale trial of the intervention. Progression benchmarks for the research, derived from established guidelines, informed the decision process. The intervention satisfied the predefined progression benchmarks, covering aspects like enrollment of participants, ongoing participation, and compliance with procedural steps. Nonetheless, certain improvements were noted, namely: (1) improving strategies for enrolling participants, (2) introducing an initial consultation between the participant and pharmacist, (3) aiding pharmacists in adopting a participant-focused perspective, (4) reassessing the selected outcome measure reported by participants, (5) prolonging the follow-up duration beyond eight weeks, (6) providing additional time allocation for pharmacists to deliver the intervention. The research determined that implementing the intervention is practical; nevertheless, further refinement is necessary prior to advancing to a comprehensive trial. This approach shows promise in mitigating harm associated with medicines and enhancing health results for elderly patients affected by polypharmacy.
