A MACQUARIE University team has been awarded $1.5m in new funding to create a digital one-stop platform for faster and easier medication reviews by pharmacists that could improve the safe use of medicines in residential aged care.
Dr Karla Seaman and Dr Magda Raban at the Australian Institute of Health Innovation at the University were awarded the new funding in the latest round of Medical Research Future Fund grants for the platform that will allow all stakeholders, including pharmacists, GPs, residents and their carers, and aged care staff, to monitor the medication review process.
This research is in response to reports during the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, which found that aged care residents are at increased risk of harm from medication errors, with each resident experiencing on average three to four medication-related problems.
"Involving all stakeholders more routinely in the review of medication, and having the review recommendations followed, is a very effective way of improving care for residents," said Dr Seaman, who is the lead investigator.
The project, led by Macquarie University and involving Edith Cowan University, will design, deliver, and evaluate an innovative electronic medication management review (eMMR)-portal which will:
identify residents at increased risk of poor outcomes due to medication-related problems; and
deliver a transparent communication process by which medication review requests, recommendations, actions, and outcomes can be monitored by pharmacists, GPs, residents and carers, and residential aged care staff.
"This integrated approach will make optimal use of medication reviews for the safer use of medicines in residential aged care," said Raban.
"It will also reduce the burden on residential aged care staff by enabling real-time communication between them and the pharmacist, GP, resident and their carers," said Seaman.
Led by Macquarie University, the multidisciplinary team will include pharmacists, researchers, nurses and general practitioners.
Project partners include the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, Best Health Solutions, Heritage Care, Aged Care Industry IT Council, Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, and Consumers Health Forum.
The grant is from the Medical Research Future Fund - Preventive and Public Health Research Initiative - 2022 Quality, Safety and Effectiveness of Medicine Use and Medicine Intervention by Pharmacists Grant.
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