Increased Reporting of Exclusionary Diagnoses Inflate Apparent Reductions in Long-Stay Antipsychotic Prescribing.

For long-stay seniors on antipsychotics, reporting of schizophrenia, Tourette's, and Huntington's began increasing in 2012 and at almost triple the rate CMS described for the general long-stay population. The increased reporting of these diagnoses described by CMS since 2012 appears to be new and concentrated in residents on antipsychotics Clinical Implications: Since antipsychotics prescribed for schizophrenia, Tourette's, and Huntington's are excluded from quality-measure auditing, apparent reductions in inappropriate long-stay antipsychotic use since the National Partnership may be exaggerated.