A Home Medication Review (HMR) in Australia is a service provided by pharmacists, designed to assist patients in managing and understanding their medications. The primary aim of the HMR is to achieve safe, effective, and optimum use of medications. Here’s an overview of the HMR process and its benefits:
- Purpose:
- To identify and address medication-related problems that may adversely affect a patient’s health.
- To optimize the benefits of a patient’s medication regimen.
- To minimize the risks and costs associated with sub-optimal medication use.
- Who’s involved:
- Referring Doctor: A general practitioner (GP) typically initiates the HMR by referring a patient for the service.
- Pharmacist: An accredited pharmacist, trained specifically in conducting HMRs, visits the patient at home to review all of their medicines. They provide the GP with a report outlining recommendations to improve the patient’s medication regimen.
- Process:
- Referral: The process begins when a GP identifies a patient who might benefit from an HMR.
- Patient Consent: Before an HMR can take place, the patient must provide their consent.
- Home Visit: The accredited pharmacist visits the patient’s home to review all medications, including prescription, over-the-counter, herbal, and other complementary medicines. The pharmacist will ask the patient about how they use the medications, any problems they might be experiencing, and any concerns they might have.
- Report: After the review, the pharmacist will provide the referring GP with a report that contains a summary of the findings and recommendations.
- Follow-up: The GP discusses the pharmacist’s recommendations with the patient, and any changes to the patient’s medication regimen are decided collaboratively.
- Benefits:
- Improved understanding by patients of their medications.
- Identification of medication-related problems.
- Enhanced collaboration between the GP and the pharmacist.
- Improved medication adherence.
- Reduction in adverse medication events.
- Potential cost savings through discontinuation of unnecessary medications or dose reductions.
- Eligibility:
- Patients are generally eligible if they are at risk of experiencing medication misadventure, which may include, but is not limited to:
- Taking multiple medications.
- Having recently had significant changes to their medication regimen.
- Experiencing difficulties with medication use.
- Having medication allergies or previous adverse drug reactions.
- Patients are generally eligible if they are at risk of experiencing medication misadventure, which may include, but is not limited to:
The HMR is a valuable service in the Australian healthcare system, as it ensures that medications are being used safely and effectively, and that patients are informed and empowered in managing their own health.
MBS Item 900
the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) item number for a Home Medication Review (HMR) conducted by a general practitioner in Australia is 900. This item number pertains to the management and collaboration by the GP in the HMR process, including referring the patient to an accredited pharmacist, receiving the pharmacist’s report, and conducting a follow-up consultation with the patient to discuss the findings and any recommended changes to their medication regimen.
The rebate is currently $170.45