HMR changes
September 13, 2011
NEXT month will see significant
changes to the Home Medicines
Review (HMR) Program aimed
at making sure the right person
gets the right service at the
right time, based on their
clinical need.
The changes that come into
effect on 1 October will:
• Highlight the importance of
the patient’s clinical needs at
time of referral.
• Empower the patient to
choose the most appropriate
pharmacist to interview them
at home.
• Enable the GP to refer to
either the patient’s preferred
community pharmacy or an
accredited pharmacist of the
patient’s choice.
The changes have a strong
patient focus – ensuring that
patients are aware that they
have a right to choose – and an
emphasis on patient health
outcomes and continuity of care.
To support the focus on
patient access, a further change
will alter the basis on which the
HMR rural loading is paid.
Currently the loading, up to a
maximum of $60, is paid on the
basis of the location of the
community pharmacy providing
the service, where the pharmacy
is within PhARIA 2 to 6.
From 1 October, the HMR rural
loading allowance will be
determined by the location of
the patient, and will be
increased to a maximum of $125.
For more information, go to
the Fifth Community Pharmacy
Agreement website at
www.5cpa.com.au.
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 13 Sep 11To see the full newsletter, see the embedded issue below or CLICK HERE to download Pharmacy Daily from 13 Sep 11
