AMA plan to improve teamwork between GPs and pharmacists to provide better patient care

The AMA has provided the Government with a proposal to make non-dispensing pharmacists a key part of the future general practice health care team so that GPs can deliver even better care for their patients.

AMA President, A/Prof Brian Owler, said today the proposal - the Pharmacist in General Practice Incentive Program (PGPIP) - would create greater efficiencies for general practices, better care for patients, new career opportunities for pharmacists, and significant Budget savings across the whole health system.

"Under this program, pharmacists within general practice would assist with things such as medication management, providing patient education on their medications, and supporting GP prescribing with advice on medication interactions and newly available medications," A/Prof Owler said.

"Evidence shows that the AMA plan would reduce fragmentation of patient care, improve prescribing and use of medicines, reduce hospital admissions from adverse drug events (ADE), and deliver better health outcomes for patients."

The proposal is backed by an independent analysis from the highly respected Deloitte Access Economics, which shows that the AMA proposal delivers a benefit-cost ratio of 1.56, which means that every $1 invested in the program generates $1.56 in savings to the health system.

Deloitte Access Economics estimates that, if 3,100 general practices took up the PGPIP, it would cost the Federal Government $969.5 million over four years. However, this would be more than offset through broader savings to the health system in the following areas:

• hospital savings of $1.266 billion - due to reduced number of hospital admissions following a severe ADE;
• PBS savings of $180.6 million - due to the reduced number of prescriptions from better prescribing and medication compliance;
• individual patient savings of $49.8 million - reduced co-payments for medical consultations and medicines; and.
• MBS savings of $18.1 million - due to reduced number of GP attendances following a moderate or severe ADE.

The AMA has developed this model in consultation with the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA), and it has the full backing of the PSA.

The AMA proposal for the Pharmacist in General Practice Incentive Program (PGPIP), including the Deloitte Access Economics analysis, is at https://ama.com.au/article/general-practice-pharmacists-improving-patient-care.

Response to the AMA announcement from the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia

PSA welcomes AMA submission on pharmacists working in GP practices

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia has welcomed the announcement by the Australian Medical Association that it has presented the Government with a proposal to make non-dispensing pharmacists a key part of the general practice healthcare team.

The AMA proposal follows collaborative work between the PSA and AMA to develop the model to support a more integrated role for pharmacists to work in GP practices as part of the primary care team.

National President of the PSA, Grant Kardachi, said both organisations and their members recognised the benefits that would flow from having pharmacists working closely with their medical colleagues in GP settings.

"As the AMA has said, this collaboration will create greater efficiencies for general practices, better care for patients, new career opportunities for pharmacists, and significant Budget savings across the whole health system," Mr Kardachi said.

"The proposal will see pharmacists in general practice settings involved in areas including medication management, patient education on their medications and supporting GP prescribing with advice on medication interactions and new medications.

"The AMA evidence shows the plan can reduce fragmentation of patient care, improve prescribing and use of medicines, reduce hospital admissions from adverse drug events and deliver better health outcomes for patients."

Mr Kardachi said research by Deloitte Access Economics showed that for every $1 invested in the program, $1.56 would be generated in savings to the health system.

"This team care approach is particularly important at time when the ageing population and increasing chronic disease are putting added pressures on the healthcare system," Mr Kardachi said.

"A PSA forum will be held in Sydney on Monday 24 August to discuss this area of practice.

"Those attending will hear from Australian experts in this area, including our own Dr Chris Freeman, GPs, and international expert Ravi Sharma from the UK.

"This is a genuinely collaborative model of care and represents an exciting step for the medical profession, for pharmacists and, most importantly, for patients."