Improving medication risk management among residents of retirement villages

INTERVENTION: This study aims to develop, implement and test a multi‐component intervention for increasing HMR uptake among retirement village residents. The interventions to be tested are: a) Home Medicines Review (HMR) education session A consultant pharmacist (who is accredited to undertake HMRs) will provide education to participants (in group) about the role of and benefits from HMR. The consultant pharmacist will visit the retirement villages to deliver the education sessions. Information leaflets about HMR will be given out to participants during these education sessions. b) Medication risk assessment A medication risk assessment checklist will be adapted from a published screening tool/checklist that is available in the public domain (Pharmacy Guild’s HMR brochure ‐ http://www.guild.org.au/uploadedfiles/Medication_Management_Reviews/Overview/HMR%20Flyer%20A5%20blue%20Approved.pdf). After the education sessions, all participants will be asked to complete the checklist, with the pharmacist taking them through each question. The completed checklist will then be used by the consultant pharmacist to identify participants who have medication risk factors and thus could potentially benefit from a HMR. c) New referral process for HMR Participants identified as having one or more medication risk factors (e.g. with one or more tick boxes on the checklist) will be asked to give the completed medication risk checklist to their General Practitioner (GP) during their next GP visit. The education session, including the activity of participants completing medication risk checklist, will be conducted on a group basis. The entire session will last approximately one and half hour. CONDITION: Risk for medication misadventure The uptake of Home Medicines Review (HMR) service PRIMARY OUTCOME: Patient self‐reported uptake of Home Medicines Review (HMR) service is the primary outcome measure. This will be measured as the proportions of participants in the two groups who have had at least one HMR since baseline. Patients will be interviewed over the phone to obtain this information. The information will be verified against health profefssionals' reports (General Practitioner, community pharmacist or consultant pharmacist). SECONDARY OUTCOME: Medication adherence will be the secondary outcome measure of the study. Participants will be assessed for medication adherence using the validated 4‐item Morisky scale at baseline and at 6 months. Data will be collected using participant self‐administered questionnaires at baseline and interviewer‐administered questionnaires via telephone at 6 months. Quality of life will be other outcome measure of the study. The Short Form (SF)‐12 Health Survey, which has 12 validated items, will be used to assess participant's health and quallity of life at baseline and at 6 months. Data will be collected using participant self‐administered questionnaires at baseline and interviewer‐administered questionnaire via telephone at 6 months. ; INCLUSION CRITERIA: Live in one of the participating retirement villages; Use three or more prescribed medications; Expecting to visit General Pracitioner in the next three months; Expecting to be available for follow up for at least six months from baseline; and Available for education sessions offered by a consultant or HMR pharmacist.