Home Medicines Review (HMR or DMMR) is a collaborative service provided by GPs and pharmacists, funded by Medicare. The Division employs a part-time facilitator to support medical practices and pharmacies to implement the service for patients.
What is Home Medicines Review?
A patient-focused collaborative service provided by the patient’s GP and their community Pharmacist (or their contracted accredited pharmacist). The review involves a 30-60 minute visit by the pharmacist to the patient’s home to see how the patient (or their carer) is managing their medicines.
What happens in a Home Medicines Review?
The Pharmacist is able to see the things that can’t be seen by looking at a list of medicines. Checking the dispensing history at the pharmacy (or pharmacies) also helps to identify problems such as compliance. The Pharmacist answers questions, such as:
· Do doses of medication get missed or mixed up?
· Can the patient read and understand the instructions?
· How much does the patient understand about what each of their medicines is for?
· What other medicines (such as those prescribed by other GPs or specialists, over-the-counter medications, or herbal remedies) is the patient taking?
· Is the mix of medicines likely to be affecting cognitive function or increasing the fall risk?
· Does the patient have more than one brand of the same medicine?
· Are there out-of-date or non-current medicines that could be removed for disposal (with permission)?
· How are the medicines stored? Are they left in their packaging?
· If a dosage administration aid is used (eg. Websterpak, Dosette), who packs it? Is it being used properly? Are there still problems?
· Are devices such as glucometers, spacers, inhalers, and/or nebulisers used properly and maintained properly?
· Could the patient’s medication regimen be simplified?