PHARMACY Guild executive director David Quilty has highlighted a range of "structural, policy and regulatory barriers that make it harder for sick and needy patients to access pharmacist-delivered medicine related care".
Writing in the Guild's regular Forefront update yesterday, Quilty said the barriers run counter to the government's preferred "team approach" to caring for patients with chronic conditions.
"They make no sense given how crucial medicines and medicines support are to the health and wellbeing of these patients".
Quilty cited examples such as the Private Health Insurance Rules which prevent health funds from including pharmacists in chronic disease plans for treatment.
"This is nonsensical given the vital medicine related role of community pharmacies in reducing hospital admissions and readmissions.
"Similarly, pharmacists are not currently part of the Health Care Home, although virtually all the patients in this trial will be very high users of medicines," he added.
Quilty noted that despite being the most accessible of all primary health care professionals, "the community pharmacist is not acknowledged" in any of the key guidelines used by Primary Health Networks in implementing the Health Care Homes initiative.
He also urged the government's Medicare Benefits Scheme review to look at practical ways to improve patient access and cost-effectiveness through pharmacy.
"With community pharmacists now able to administer adult flu vaccinations in every State and Territory, it makes sense to level the playing field by providing pharmacies with access to the National Immunisation Program and relevant MBS items".
Quilty also suggested letting pharmacies order basic pathology tests, as well as including the supply of medicines plus pharmacy services in the MyHealth Record.
He said rather than seeking extra funding or expansion of pharmacists' scope of practice, the motivation for calling for the reforms is about "removing illogical roadblocks so that the accessibility of community pharmacy and the medicines expertise of pharmacists can be fully utilised to enhance patient outcomes and the cost-effectiveness of the health system".
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