Leveraging informatics to optimise pharmacist-led medication reviews in residential aged care

This project is supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council Medical Research Future Fund grant (MRFMMMIP000048).

Project members

Associate Professor Magda Raban
Associate Professor

Dr Karla Seaman
Research Fellow

Professor Henry Cutler
Professor and Director

Dr Nasir Wabe
Senior Research Fellow

Professor Johanna Westbrook
Professor and Director

Dr Sandun Malpriya Silva
Research Fellow

Dr Guogui Huang
Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Dr Amy Nguyen
Research Fellow

Dr Rachel Urwin
Research Fellow

Dr Bayzid Rahman
Senior Research Fellow

Dr Lalit Yadav
Research Fellow

Smriti Raichand

Dr Smriti Raichand
Research Fellow

Dr Rajendra Gyawali
Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Dr Isabelle Meulenbroeks
Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Marea O'Donnell
Research Officer

Rachel Jenkins
Research Assistant

External project members

A/Prof Rosemary Saunders Edith Cowan University	Dr Antonio Ahumada-Canale University Technology Sydney	Dr Tim Tse MQ Health	Dr Bosco Wu MQ Health
Karen Martin Consumer representative	Robyn Nolan Consumer representative

Partners

BESTMED
Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission
Pharmaceutical Society of Australia
Aged & Community Care Providers Association
Consumers Health Forum of Australia

Project contacts

Project information

Medication-related problems cause an estimated 250,000 hospitalisations annually in Australia, costing an estimated AU$1.4 billion. Older people in residential aged care (RAC) are at an increased risk of experiencing medication-related problems, significantly impacting their quality of life.

Pharmacist-led medication management reviews can significantly reduce such medication-related problems. When well conducted and recommended changes actioned, MMRs can lead to fewer overall medications used, fewer potentially inappropriate medications and decreased risk of all-cause mortality, and improved cost-effectiveness of pharmacotherapy for residents. However, there is poor uptake of medication management reviews in RAC, with only 40% of people receiving a review during their time in RAC.

The current approach is ad-hoc, there is poor monitoring follow-up and outcomes of MMRs, and there is no evidence-based approach to identifying who would benefit from a review.

Aims

The overarching aim is to utilise informatics to develop a one-stop platform for all stakeholders, including pharmacists, GPs, residents and their families/carers, and RAC staff to access and monitor the MMR process to ensure reviews are meaningful and conducted in a timely manner.

The project aims are to:

Develop and validate a dynamic model to identify residents at risk of medication-related problems	Develop and test an eMMR-portal to track the medication review process using user-centred design Assess the impact of the intervention on medication use and resident outcomes through a cluster trial	Evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the eMMR-portal relative to current practice

We are working closely with all stakeholders and our consumer panel of people with lived experience of a loved one in RAC to develop, test and evaluate the intervention.

News and media

New funding for digital solution to medication reviews in aged care

Macquarie University has been awarded $1.5 million in the latest round of Medical Research Future Fund grants.

Dr Karla Seaman and Dr Magda Raban are leading the team to improve the safe use of medicines in residential aged care by creating a digital one-stop platform for faster and easier medication reviews by pharmacists. The platform will allow all stakeholders, including pharmacists, GPs, residents and their carers, and aged care staff, to monitor the medication review process. Read about the project here.

Related stream of research

Medication Safety and Electronic Decision Support

Centres related to this project

Centre for Health Systems and Safety Research

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