Australian pharmacists are pushing for the government to lift a cap on Medicare-funded home medicine reviews, warning that dangerous medication mix-ups are sending around 400,000 people to emergency rooms every year and that a simple, free service could prevent thousands of those hospitalisations.
A Growing Problem for Older Australians
Close to two million Australians take five or more medicines on a regular basis, with older people bearing the greatest burden of managing multiple prescriptions. The challenge is compounded when patients see several different doctors, each prescribing separate treatments, with no single practitioner holding the full picture of what a patient is taking.
Professor Mark Naunton from the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia said ageing itself changes how the body responds to medicines. "You become more prone to side effects, or some side effects for some medicines, as you age," he said.
Eighty-nine-year-old retiree John Green is a prime example of the complexity involved. He takes two tablets for his heart and one for blood pressure, all doctor-prescribed, as well as vitamins, antihistamines, eye drops and arthritis pain relief. For Green, regular home checks have made a measurable difference to his quality of life. "It just keeps me going," he said. "I don't have any problems."
How Home Medicine Reviews Work
A home medicine review is available at no cost to the patient, requiring only a referral from a GP. A consultant pharmacist then visits the patient at home, going through every medicine they take to assess whether each one is still appropriate, correctly dosed and safe in combination with the others.
Consultant pharmacist Tim Perry said these reviews are valuable even for people who feel their medication routine is under control. "It's always worth reassessing medication you're currently on if you've been on it for a long time," he said. "Is it still appropriate? Do you still need it? Is the dose right?"
The Case for Lifting the Monthly Cap
Despite the clear benefits, pharmacists are currently limited to 30 government-funded home medicine reviews per month. The profession is calling for that cap to be raised so more Australians, particularly those on complex medication regimens, can access the service before problems escalate into a hospital visit.
Perry said the potential impact of expanding access is significant. "We can save a lot of lives," he said. "We can save a lot of sickness, a lot of hospitalisations."
With multiple conditions increasingly common among older Australians, and prescriptions often coming from more than one specialist or GP, advocates argue that a coordinated pharmacist review is one of the most practical tools available to catch dangerous interactions early. Pharmacists say the current monthly limit means many patients who would benefit simply miss out, and they are urging the federal government to act.
