On World Patient Safety Day (17 September), pharmacists are encouraging Australians to take three simple steps to limit their risk of medicine misadventure.
Each year 250,000 Australians are hospitalised and a further 400,000 present to emergency departments with medicine-related programs, costing the Australian economy approximately $1.4 billion annually. It is estimated that at least half of these hospitalisations are preventable.
The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) encourages patients to speak to their local pharmacist to learn more about the medications they use, including medicine interactions.
PSA National President Associate Professor Fei Sim FPS said pharmacists are experts in helping patients manage their medicines to ensure they are used safely and effectively.
“Today we’re urging Australians to know your medicines, the dose you have been prescribed, check medicine interactions, and for those who use multiple medicines, ask your GP about an annual Home Medicines Review which can be provided free of charge to you by a credentialed pharmacist,” she said.
“World Patient Safety Day is a great reminder for all Australians to check that they know the doses of their regular medications, and to ask their local pharmacist about possible medicine interactions.
“Older people and people living with a disability are more likely to be using more medicines, facing an increased risk of medicine interactions and misadventure. It is priority health populations like these that we particularly urge to see a pharmacist at least annually to review their medicines.
“Pharmacists are Australia’s medicines experts, and are here to provide trusted advice to all Australians about the medicines you use.”
​More information and research about medicine-related harm in Australia is available at www.psa.org.au/medicine-safety
