Pharmacy claims have significantly outnumbered GP claims over the last 2 years. This would indicate that the GP has sent the HMR referral to the pharmacist. The pharmacist has then conducted the HMR , sent the report to the GP, and sent the pharmacy claim to Medicare.  The GP, however is not always claiming for the HMR.

There may be a number of reasons for this, including the fact that the GP has not yet seen the patient for a  follow up consultation to complete the  HMR process, or they  have seen the patient but have not claimed item 900, losing out on a payment of $140.

Practices need to ensure that recall procedures are put in place, so that the HMR process is completed and item 900 is claimed.

Pharmacy and GP HMR Claims per 100,000 population for Ballarat & District Division of General Practice

Over the last two years it is estimated that almost $24,000 in payments have not been claimed, with 170 HMRs conducted by pharmacists that have gone unclaimed by local GPs.

HMRs are a valuable service providing GPs with information  about their patients’ medications and ensure quality use of medicines  by the patient.  HMRs may easily be linked  in with other health assessments, health checks, Team Care Arrangements and GP Management Plans.

If a GP claims just one HMR per week this amounts to $ 7,280 over the course of the year.

Anyone needing further information regarding Home Medicines Reviews can contact me at annam@bddgp.org.au.

The GP will be provided with general information about the project. Other than this and the referral by pharmacists of any patients with highly elevated BP or other related issues, the project will not have workload implications for GPs.

The aim of this project is to develop and test interventions that could be integrated into current community pharmacy practice to enable pharmacists to improve consumer compliance and/or persistence with antihypertensive medications.

Amongst the interventions will be home blood pressure monitoring, education about hypertension, motivational interviewing and prescription refill reminders. Each pharmacy will be aiming to recruit up to 10 patients.

This project is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing as part of the Fourth Community Pharmacy Agreement.

For further information about the project please contact Assoc Prof Kay Stewart on 9903 9618 or email Kay.Stewart@pharm.monash.edu.au.