The RACGP seeks to clarify its official position regarding the Home Medicines Review (HMR) program.
The RACGP does not support the Home Medicines Review hospital referral pathway, a variant on the original HMR. This hospital referral pathway by-passes a patient’s general practitioner (GP), raising serious safety issues.
Having an understanding of a patient’s complete past history is essential to ensuring that the safest and most appropriate advice is given to the patient. This is one of the principles underpinning HMR. The RACGP’s position on the HMR hospital referral pathway is now available.
Dr Liz Marles, RACGP President, said “The RACGP recognises the current evidence-base around HMRs is limited, however at an individual level some GPs have found HMRs useful, especially when the GP has had direct input into the pharmacy referral."
The RACGP notes the benefits of HMRs particularly when patients are prescribed drugs associated with a high risk of adverse effects e.g. warfarin and when certain medical conditions such as congestive cardiac failure (CCF) have been diagnosed.
The RACGP recognises and acknowledges the professional expertise of pharmacists and strongly advocates for a close collaboration between pharmacists and GPs to address medication safety issues.
The RACGP position on HMR supports a medical home model whereby the provision of continuous, comprehensive and coordinated care, is led and managed by the patient’s nominated general practitioner. It also acknowledges the importance of effective collaborative arrangements between pharmacists and GPs to ensure the delivery of safe medication management and positive patient health outcomes.
As outlined in the RACGP’s Standards for General Practices (4th edition) Criterion 5.3.1, a good partnership between a GP and pharmacist can enhance the benefits to the patient in managing their medicines.
The RACGP will continue to review the available evidence to determine the effectiveness of Home Medicine Reviews within the general practice setting.