Poor adherence drives reform

AUSTRALIA'S medicine adherence levels remain “stubbornly low” at between 50й and 60й, and with increasing numbers of patients on five, 10 or more medicines to treat multiple chronic health conditions, there is a crying need for more personalised medicines support delivered through community pharmacies, writes Pharmacy Guild of Australia executive director David Quilty in his Forefront editorial.

The impact on health budgets of such poor medicines management in an ageing population includes increased hospital admissions, which the Health Minister Greg Hunt has prioritised to avoid, as his third wave of health reform.

“It is clear that Minister Hunt believes that the focus needs to move from reducing avoidable hospital admissions to rewarding the states, private health providers and health professionals for actually avoiding admissions and readmissions in the first place,” Quilty wrote.

With medicine-related issues the cause of an estimated 230,000 hospital admissions costing over $1.2 billion annually, the minister sees primary care as playing a major role in avoiding hospital admissions with community pharmacies a key participant.

“Around the world, there is growing evidence that allowing pharmacists to practise at the top of their professional skills can take pressure off the wider health system and reduce unnecessary hospital admissions,” writes Quilty.

Pharmacists can help manage the hospitalisation rates and minimise GP time on less critical health issues, he added - CLICK HERE.