What is a Home Medicines Review (HMR)?
A Home Medicines Review is a service to you, the consumer or patient in the community which focuses on quality use of medicines. HMR brings together you, your doctor and a community pharmacy as a team. To be eligible for a HMR you need to have a current Medicare Card and be living in the community. If you, or the patient is living in an aged care facility a Residential Medication Management Review (RMMR) may be conducted.
The HMR is conducted by the pharmacist at your home to review their medicine regimen. The pharmacist provides to the doctor a report and the doctor and yourself then agree on a medicine management plan.
The objectives of HMR are to:
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achieve safe, effective, and appropriate use of medicines by detecting and addressing medicine-related problems that interfere with desired outcomes
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improve quality of life and health outcomes using a best practice approach, that involves cooperation between the general practitioner, pharmacist, other relevant health professionals (and where appropriate, the carer)
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improving the patient's, and health professional’s knowledge and understanding about medicines
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facilitate cooperative working relationships between members of the health care team in the interests of health and wellbeing.
A HMR may be beneficial in the following circumstances:
- being recently discharged from hospital
- currently taking five or more medications
- taking more than 12 doses of medication per day
- any significant changes in medication treatment regimen
Who conducts a HMR
An accredited pharmacist is required to complete the HMR. At Coral Coast Pharmacies Annabelle Hirst and Scott Williams are both Accredited Pharmacists and Alice Tucker is an Accredited Pharmacist at our Cooee Bay Pharmacy.
Accreditation
An accredited pharmacist is:
Medication Packing
A Dose Administration Aid commonly known as a DAA, is a package that arranges medicines according to the day and time they should be taken. At Coral Coast Pharmacies and Cooee Bay Pharmacy we use a Medication Packing Service that places the medication to individual packettes for each time the medication is taken each day. The individual packettes are in a roll that contains a fortnight of medication.
Using a Medication Packing Service helps reduce the chances of making a mistake with medication, including over-doses and missed doses.
Contact our friendly staff at any Coral Coast Pharmacy or Cooee Bay Pharmacy for more information.
Visit the Australian Government Seniors Website for more information
Visit the Australian Government Department of Health & Ageing Website for more information