HMR (Item 900) is a very flexible item number for GPs to use. It can be used in conjunction with the new CDM item numbers, or it can be used on its own. The involvement of the pharmacy/pharmacist in providing this service to your patients is not part of the new Allied Health Item numbers, so doesn’t take up any of the allowed 5 visits per year. The HMR reports- the pharmacists report and the consequent GP Medication Management Plan – can be utilised as the medication management component of a GPMP or TCA.

Item 900 – a flexible, easy to use item number for GPs

Hospital discharge and HMR

Following on from the trial set up for identifying at risk patients at the Lyell McEwin Health Service, I was invited to sit on a committee to consider a similar process for HMR on discharge from the RAH. This resulted in a number of HMRs being conducted for recently discharged patients from one of the medical wards. Dr Sepehr Shakib was the driving force behind this trial, which involved Honours pharmacy students working with Sepehr to facilitate discharge HMRs for at risk patients with heart failure. This was rolled out across the state. The trial period was only 3 months, but as it showed good results, it is hoped that a further trial will occur in 2006

RMMR- Item 903

Residential Medication Management Review (Item 903) is a relatively new item number available to GPs who visit Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACF). It enables GPs to be paid for involvement in an RMMR in contrast to the more established program, whereby pharmacists are contracted by the RACFs to provide Medication Management Reviews, in which the GP was not remunerated for any part they played in the Review. This new item number allows for better collaboration between the GP, pharmacist and RACF staff to care for the residents.
If more information is required to help you implement these worthwhile QUM initiatives, give me a call at the division

National Prescribing Service

The NPS visiting program is now run from the division, which allows flexibility in both type and timing of the visits. Either one-on-one or group visits can be arranged. I am currently visiting on ‘Analgesics in Musculoskeletal Pain’, which has been an interesting topic around the evidence for optimal treatment of musculoskeletal pain. With the withdrawal from the market of rofecoxib, it has been an interesting topic for debate. Following this program, I will be offering visits on the latest evidence for improving drug treatment in heart failure. This topic will be offered from late October this year. There will also be an opportunity to look at the use of echocardiogram as an aid in diagnosing heart failure. This will be a CPD evening with a cardiologist available to discuss echo as a tool.

Falls Prevention

A very topical topic!

The division was invited to be a part of this program as it has been rolled out over the Playford and Salisbury Council areas. It looks at ways of reducing falls risk by involving a multi disciplinary approach to the care of those deemed most at risk. It has been a worthwhile area to be involved with. We have recently run an information afternoon for aboriginal health workers around falls prevention. About 12 health workers came, as well as representatives from many other agencies who work with the at risk populations. From this, I have an opportunity to work with a couple of the aboriginal health workers in the area s of HMR and QUM.

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