Government changes to Home Medicine Review (HMRs) and Residential Medication Management Review (RMMR) now allows pharmacists two additional follow-ups with patients within nine months of the initial review.
In a move that has been welcomed by the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA), accredited pharmacists will be allowed two additional HMR and RMMR follow-ups with patients within nine months of the initial review.
Previously allowed just one review per patient every 24 months, PSA welcomed the changes by calling the move a necessary step to ensure elderly patients were properly cared for when it comes to the medicines they are taking.
“As medicines experts it is essential that pharmacists are able to properly review patient’s medications as well as provide advice to other members of the health care team to ensure the safe and quality use of medicines for the elderly,” PSA National President Associate Professor Chris Freeman said.
The programs will also now be able to be referred by other medical practitioners, not just General Practitioners which will allow for specialists in aged or chronic care to refer where a GP may not be available.
Associate Professor Freeman said this measure on the back of the government’s recent announcement to allow medicine reviews via telehealth will help deliver on the recommendations contained in the interim report into the Royal Commission into Safety and Quality in Aged Care.
“These services are very important for patients at risk of medicine related harm and important for the pharmacists and pharmacies whose livelihoods are supported by providing these essential medicine review services,” he said.
Medicine-related problems lead to 250,000 hospital admissions each year costing $1.4 billion annually. Patients who take more than one medicine are at risk of problems associated with their medicines and HMRs are vitally important in identifying these issues, Associate Professor Freeman said.
