What is a Home Medicines Review?

Home Medicines Review (HMR) provides an opportunity for patients living in the community to benefit from a team approach to their care, with the patient as the central focus. A review can maximise a patient’s benefit from their medication regimen and prevent medication-related problems.

In collaboration with the GP, an accredited pharmacist, via the patient’s preferred community pharmacy, comprehensively reviews the patient’s medications during a home visit. The report from this visit is conveyed to the GP and where appropriate, a medication management plan is developed in agreement with the patient.

Read more about how HMRs fit into the big picture of medication management:
The Australian Pharmaceutical Advisory Council have produced a booklet, Guiding principles to achieve continuity in medication management.

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Monthly Session for GPs and Pharmacists

These HMR sessions are normally first the Wednesday of the month, at the Northern Division.

See also Pharmacists' accreditation courses below.

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General Practitioner Resources

HMR & Allied Health Item Numbers Flowchart - November 2009

 Item numbers for the various Allied Health Services.

HMR & EPC Flowchart

 Better outcomes by using HMR and EPC together. A HMR can be done as a stand alone item, but a patient who has a GPMP or TCA in place would probably benefit from a HMR as well.

RMMR & EPC Flowchart

 Better outcomes by using RMMR and EPC together.

Practice HMR Record

Download a simple Excel sheet to assist a practice nurse (for example) keep an accurate record of the status of each HMR generated at the medical practice. It guides the sort of information practices need to keep track of if you are going to effectively incorporate HMRs into practice routine.

Summary of the HMR process

Common questions & answers for GPs from the Dept of Health and Ageing website

HMR process flowchart

Veterans' Affairs and Dose Administration Aids Service for General Practitioners DAA service overview.

DVA DAA Service Flowchart

Instructions from DVA on accessing the DAA service and the linkages between the GP, the Veteran and the Pharmacist.

Safety tips for home visits

HMR flow-chart

Translation and Interpretation Service.  Pharmacists making home visits to conduct HMR interviews can use the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) FREE of charge, provided the patient's GP booked the service.
For more information, call 1300 131 450 or check the TIS website.

Reasons why HIC has rejected some HMR/MBS Item 900 claims

Detailing card for GPs

Auspharmacist website - click here 
The latest highlight of this site is the RGH ebulletin which, now for $55/year  + GST,  offers  8 MCQs and 3 CPD points. Helpful for pharmacists who cannot attend Division training events.

List of HMR Accredited Pharmacists

Accredited pharmacists for Home Medicine Reviews
Gps: Contact the pharmacy where the  consumer usually attends as they have a pharmacist assigned to their pharmacy to do the Medication Reviews.

Find a Pharmacy website - Click here.
A list has been prepared to search for  many pharmacy specialities – including needle exchange,  pharmacotherapy programs, sleep apnoea requirements, diabetes, asthma specialities etc. In addition  there is a comprehensive listing of languages spoken by pharmacists and staff which can be searched on. 

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Identifying HMR eligible patients

The following downloads are available allowing for a structured approach in identifying patients suitable for HMRs.  

Searching for HMR eligible patients using the PEN Clinical Audit Tool (CAT)
Searching for HMR eligible patients using Best Practice
Searching for HMR eligible patients using 

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Medical Director

Brief summary of how to access HMR on Medical Director

Go through an introduction to HMR on Medical Director. Click here.

There have been a lot of changes with the templates on Medical Director.
Download templates here for:
DMMR,
RMMR and
HMR

Articles

Stay up-to-date with articles by Dr Jenny Gowan:

• Crushing tablets: how, when, and why?
• Polypharmacy: what other medicines are your patients taking, and why does it matter?
• Elder abuse, medication reviews and the pharmacist

Website links

Some excellent websites are designed to help GPs and pharmacists with their reviews.

South Australian Divisions have a website with a wealth of resources.

The Health Insurance Commission (HIC) website will inform you about the rules, conditions and paperwork for HMRs.

The Pharmacy Guild has pharmacist and consumer information.

The Australian Association for Consulting Pharmacists has information for accredited pharmacists.

The Department of Health and Ageing website has in-depth information on the program.

Pharmacy Directories

Referral must be to pharmacy of patient's choice.  See a Patient's choice of pharmacy information sheet

Lists of HMR Registered Pharmacies: Search from Google maps for each of the Divisions' websites.

Find Victorian pharmacies by postcode

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Therapeutic Guidelines and Medications Updates

Therapeutic Guidelines

Therapeutic Guidelines	Promoting the quality use of medicines.
Prevention of endocarditis	New Australian guidelines for the prevention of infective endocarditis were published in July 2008. The guidelines were revised by a multidisciplinary group to reflect recent changes in international recommendations regarding antibiotic prophylaxis for infective endocarditis. The reasons for the changes are explored in this review and the implications for dental practice are discussed.
Inhaler technique in adults  with asthma or COPD	Paper for health professionals offering the latest information with stepwise tables for every inhaler device.

Medications Updates

Codeine scheduling changes, effective 1 May 2010

 

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Resources for Pharmacies & Pharmacists

The HMR claim and confirmation form in PDF format has been updated on the HIC website (Providor forms page).
Pharmacies must use this updated form to be paid by the HIC.

Software HMR resources for pharmacists

Approved Service Provider Application Form

HMR guidelines for pharmacists, from the PSA

Detailing card for Pharmacists

Request for Referral form (Pharmacy Guild)

Information Gathering form (Pharmacy Guild)

Report (to Doctor) form (Pharmacy Guild)

Questions and answers from the Pharmacy Guild

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Consumer Resources

The Pharmacy Guild website has consumer brochures to read or print, in English and in a range of community languages.

Go to their page, then scroll down to see the links.

Languages include Arabic, Chinese, Croatian, Greek, Italian, Macedonian, Maltese, Polish, Spanish, Turkish and Vietnamese.

PBS fees and charges to apply from 1 January 2009

The Department has advised its changes to the patient co-payments and safety net thresholds. Click here to download.

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