Home Medication Review

Home Medicines Reviews: what they are and why your doctor may recommend one

If your GP has suggested a Home Medicines Review (HMR), also called a Domiciliary Medication Management Review, it is not simply paperwork. It is a service designed to make your medicines safer, simpler, and more effective in everyday life.

An HMR is a structured review of everything you take, carried out by an accredited pharmacist in collaboration with your GP. The purpose is to identify interactions, duplications, or medicines that are no longer needed, while making sure you clearly understand what you are taking and why.

What is an HMR?

Your GP refers you to an accredited pharmacist, who meets with you at home or by telehealth. Together you go through every prescription, over-the-counter medicine, vitamin, supplement, herbal remedy, patch, cream, or inhaler. The pharmacist then prepares a report with recommendations for your GP, and you and your GP agree on any changes and put a clear plan in place.

Why your GP might suggest one

Your doctor may recommend a review if you are on several medicines, if you have recently left hospital, if you are taking high-risk medicines such as blood thinners, insulin, or strong pain relief, or if you have experienced side effects like dizziness, confusion, or frequent falls. Sometimes the reason is more subtle, such as conflicting instructions from different specialists or a slow build-up of medicines over time. An HMR helps bring clarity and safety back to the centre.

Who can have an HMR?

This service is available to people living at home in the community. It is not limited to older people, nor do you need to be on a long list of medicines. Your GP decides whether you are likely to benefit, based on your current situation. You may qualify if you are on five or more medicines, if you use high-risk drugs, if you have had a recent hospital stay, or if your health and life circumstances have changed.

The benefits for you

Safety is the most obvious advantage. The review identifies dangerous combinations, duplications, or errors. It also brings clarity, with one consistent plan written in plain language and tailored to your lifestyle. Many patients find that their schedule becomes easier to follow, that side effects improve, and that they save money by cutting out unnecessary medicines. Importantly, the review adapts your plan to your real life, whether that involves shift work, travel, parenting responsibilities, or exercise routines.

How the process works

Your GP talks with you about the review and sends a referral to an accredited pharmacist. The pharmacist contacts you to book a time, usually an in-home visit or a telehealth session. The review itself takes around an hour, during which you go through every medicine and supplement, how you use them, any side effects you experience, and your health goals. The pharmacist then provides a written report to your GP. You book a follow-up appointment with your GP to discuss and decide on changes such as stopping medicines, adjusting doses, or simplifying timing.

Costs

The pharmacist’s part of the review is funded by the Australian Government. Your GP consultations before and after the review are billed in line with your clinic’s usual fees, which may include a private fee depending on the practice.

How to prepare

Collect everything you take, including prescriptions, vitamins, herbal products, creams, patches, inhalers, and injections. Bring the packaging if possible, or write down the names and doses. Make a list of your questions or concerns. Be upfront about what you take regularly and what you skip. Bring along any health logs such as blood pressure or glucose readings.

What outcomes are common?

The results often include simpler dosing schedules, stopping medicines that are no longer necessary, reducing side effects by changing timing, or switching to more suitable options. Some people are offered supports like blister packs, pill organisers, or reminder apps. Sometimes the plan will include follow-up tests or monitoring to make sure changes are working.

Focus areas

HMRs are particularly helpful in women’s health, including hormone replacement therapy, contraception, pregnancy, and breastfeeding. They also support patients managing chronic pain, ADHD, diabetes, heart disease, and situations where complementary or natural medicines are combined with prescription drugs.

How often can you have one?

There is no fixed schedule. Your GP may recommend another review if your medicines change, if your health changes, or after a hospital stay.

Privacy

This service is entirely voluntary. You choose whether to take part, where the review happens, and who is involved. Pharmacists and doctors follow strict privacy laws, and your information is treated with the same confidentiality as any other medical care.

Final word

If you ever feel your medicines are confusing, or that you are not as well as you should be, an HMR can help. It is a practical way to make sure your treatment is safe, simple, and suited to the life you are living right now.