GP Program Advisor

Dr Cameron Profitt

Program officer

GP Association, 5222 0800

Program summary

What is a Home Medicine Review (HMR)?

An HMR is a patient focused collaboration between a GP and pharmacist. The aim of an HMR is to avoid medication misadventures which account for approximately 140,000 admissions to hospital annually. Up to 69 per cent of these are considered avoidable.

Practice points.

1. Only a GP can order an HMR for their patient
2. Item 900 is available to bill for an HMR and is currently attracting a payment of $140.20
3. There is no cost to the patient for the HMR (outside normal practice consultancy fees)
4. ANYONE is eligible for an HMR, if the GP has concerns about their medication usage, regardless of age.

Update: Up until June 2008, 167,020 HMRs have been claimed by GPs nationally. In the June 2008 quarter, Victorian GPs averaged 3 HMR claims each. For that same period, Geelong GPs averaged 53.5 claims per 100,000 population versus a national average of 41.8. However, this only correlates to 0.8 reports for every FTE GP working in Geelong. (GPV stats package 17 Nov 2008)

Resources

General

Department of Health and Ageing

The Pharmacy Guild of Australia

Medication reviews - who is eligible?

GP & Practice Staff

GP rebate - HMR item 900 and RMMR item 903

Software Templates

HMR & EPC

The HMR process

Access templates in Best Practice and Medical Director

RMMR 3 step process for GPs

RMMR referral form

Consumers/Carers

HMR information brochure

MBS Link

Items 900 and 903