Dual health care system use and high-risk prescribing in patients with dementia: a national cohort study.

Prior research suggests that polypharmacy in patients with dementia may increase the risk of functional decline. This retrospective cohort study found that veterans with dementia who sought care from both within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and from other health systems were more likely to receive prescriptions for potentially unsafe medications than those who sought care only within the VA system.