PRIMARY CARE SERVICES

Structured Medicine Reviews (SMRs) are an evidence-based and comprehensive review of a patient’s medication, taking into consideration all aspects of their health.  During a structured medication review, our Clinical Pharmacists work with patients as equal partners to review and understand the balance between the risks and benefits of taking their precribed medicines and to identify problematic polypharmacy. Throughout this shared decision-making conversation, our Clinical Pharmacists are led by the patient’s individual needs, preferences and circumstances.

Problematic polypharmacy is where, for a pateint taking multiple medicines, the potential for harm outweighs any benefits from the medicines and/or they do not fully understand the implications of the medication regime they are taking. 

Examples of problematic polypharmacy include:

• medicines that are no longer clinically indicated or appropriate or optimised for that person;
• combination of multiple medicines has the potential to, or is actually causing harm to the person;
• practicalities of using the medicines become unmanageable or are causing harm or distress.

For patients with problematic polypharmacy, SMRs can realise a number of benefits including:

• improved patient experience and quality of care through shared decision-making with the pateint as well as provding pateints with a better understanding of the medicines they take;
• less risk of harm from medicines (e.g. adverse drug events, side effects, hospitalisation or addiction)
• better value for local health systems (e.g. reduced medicine waste).