Dr Karla Seaman and Dr Magda Raban at the Australian Institute of Health Innovation (AIHI) 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.

This research is in response to reports during the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety that aged care residents are at increased risk of harm from medication errors, with each resident experiencing on average three to four medication related problems.

"Involving all stakeholders more routinely in the review of medication, and having the review recommendations followed, is a very effective way of improving care for residents,” says Dr Seaman, who is the lead investigator.

The project, led by Macquarie University in partnership with BESTMED, and involving Edith Cowan University, will design, deliver, and evaluate an innovative electronic medication management review (eMMR) portal – a one-stop platform which will:

• identify residents at increased risk of poor outcomes due to medication-related problems
• deliver a transparent communication process by which medication review requests, recommendations, actions, and outcomes can be monitored by pharmacists, GPs, residents and carers, and residential aged care staff.

Dr Raban says "This integrated approach will make optimal use of medication reviews for the safer use of medicines in residential aged care."

It will also reduce the burden on residential aged care staff by enabling real-time communication between them and the pharmacist, GP, resident and their carers, says Dr Seaman.

Led by Macquarie University, the multidisciplinary team will include pharmacists, researchers, nurses and general practitioners. Project partners include Best Health Solutions (BESTMED), Heritage Care, Aged Care Industry IT Council, Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, Pharmaceutical Society of Australia and Consumers Health Forum of Australia. The grant is from the Medical Research Future Fund – Preventive and Public Health Research Initiative – 2022 Quality, Safety and Effectiveness of Medicine Use and Medicine Intervention by Pharmacists Grant.

The chief investigators are:

• Dr Karla Seaman – Macquarie University
• Dr Magdalena Raban – Macquarie University
• Professor Henry Cutler – Macquarie University
• Dr Nasir Wabe – Macquarie University
• Professor Johanna Westbrook – Macquarie University
• Associate Professor Rosemary Saunders – Edith Cowan University
• Dr Sandun Silva – Macquarie University
• Dr Guogui Huang – Macquarie University
• Dr Antonio Ahumada-Canale – Macquarie University
• Dr Amy Nguyen – Macquarie University
• Dr Rachel Urwin – Macquarie University
• Dr Tim Tse – Macquarie University
• Dr Bosco Wu – Macquarie University

Contact Chrissy Clay for more information.