Integrating On-site Pharmacists into Residential Aged Care Facilities

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Integrating On-site Pharmacists into Residential Aged Care Facilities

Improving the quality use of medicines for residents in residential aged care facilities

The Department of Health and Aged Care has announced a $345.7 million investment to improve medication management and safety for aged care residents through the provision of on-site pharmacists and community pharmacy services. This is in response to the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.

The Pharmacists in Residential Aged Care Facilities study is being conducted in 20 of 27 residential aged care facilities in the ACT. Phase 1 of the study is a randomised controlled trial that aims to generate robust evidence on the effect of having on-site pharmacists in residential aged care facilities on a range of quality use of medicines indicators. This phase of the study was completed in September 2022 and findings will be released in Feb 2023.

This new model of care integrates on-site pharmacists into residential aged care facilities as part of facilities care teams. On-site pharmacists work alongside facility staff and conduct activities to improve medication management. In addition, on-site pharmacists work to enhance collaboration and communication with residential aged care residents and family members, staff, GPs and other prescribers.

The study builds on a pilot study conducted in 2017. This study is supported by funding from the ACT Primary Health Network through the Australian Government's Primary Health Network Program. Phase 2 of the study which evaluates the implementation materials will conclude in May 2023.

You can access implementation materials, publications, media and study team information below.

Implementation materials

Resources to support RACFs and pharmacists to implement the service and the study evaluation report can be found on the Capital Health Network ACT website.

Research team

Professor Rachel Davey - Principal Investigator and Director, Health Research Institute
Dr Sam Kosari - Principal Investigator and Assistant Professor, Pharmacy
Professor Mark Naunton - Principal Investigator and Professor, Pharmacy
Dr Jane Koerner - Research/Project Manager
Dr Michael Dale - Research Officer
Ms Ally Wood - Research Officer
Mr Ibrahim Haider - PhD Student
Ms Miranda Batten - PhD Student

Publications

Phase 1 study

Haider I, Kosari S, Naunton M, Niyonsenga T, Peterson GM, Koerner J, Davey R. Quality Use of Medicines Indicators and Associated Factors in Residential Aged Care Facilities: Baseline Findings from the Pharmacists in RACF Study in Australia. J Clin Med. 2022 Sep 1;11(17):5189. doi: 10.3390/jcm11175189. PMID: 36079117; PMCID: PMC9457045.

Batten M, Kosari S, Koerner J, Naunton M, Cargo M. Evaluation approaches, tools and aspects of implementation used in pharmacist interventions in residential aged care facilities: A scoping review. Res Social Adm Pharm. 2022 Oct;18(10):3714-3723. doi: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2022.05.006. Epub 2022 May 10. PMID: 35581128.

Kosari S, Koerner J, Naunton M, Peterson GM, Haider I, Lancsar E, Wright D, Niyonsenga T, Davey R. Integrating pharmacists into aged care facilities to improve the quality use of medicine (PiRACF Study): protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial. Trials. 2021 Jun 11;22(1):390. doi: 10.1186/s13063-021-05335-0. PMID: 34116708; PMCID: PMC8193166.

Pilot study

Kosari S, McDerby N, Thomas J, Naunton M. Quality use of medicines in aged care facilities: A need for new models of care. J Clin Pharm Ther. 2018 Aug;43(4):591-593. doi: 10.1111/jcpt.12714. Epub 2018 May 20. PMID: 29781222

McDerby NC, Kosari S, Bail KS, Shield AJ, MacLeod T, Peterson GM, Naunton M (2020). The role of a residential aged care pharmacist: Findings from a pilot study. Australian Journal on Ageing. doi: doi: 10.1111/ajag.12784

McDerby N, Kosari S, Bail K, Shield A, Peterson G, Naunton M (2020). Residential Aged Care Pharmacist: An Australian Pilot Trial Exploring the Impact on Quality Use of Medicines Indicators. Medicines, 7(4). doi: 10.3390/medicines7040020

McDerby N, Kosari S, Bail K, Shield A, Peterson G, Naunton M. (2019). The effect of a residential care pharmacist on medication administration practices in aged care: A controlled trial. Journal of Clinical and Hospital Pharmacy, 44, 595-602. doi:doi: 10.1111/jcpt.12822

McDerby N, Kosari S, Bail K, Shield A, Thorpe R, Naunton M. (2019). Residential care pharmacists: another hole plugged in the Swiss cheese. Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research. doi:https://doi.org/10.1002/jppr.1513

McDerby NC, Kosari S, Bail KS, Shield AJ, MacLeod T, Peterson GM, Naunton M. (2019). Pharmacist-led influenza vaccination services in residential aged care homes: A pilot study. Australasian Journal on Ageing., 38(2), 132-135. doi:doi: 10.1111/ajag.12611

McDerby N, Naunton M, Shield A, Bail K, Kosari S. (2018). Feasibility of Integrating Residential Care Pharmacists into Aged Care Homes to Improve Quality Use of Medicines: Study Protocol for a Non-Randomised Controlled Pilot Trial. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. doi:doi: 10.3390/ijerph15030499.