UP TO 90 community pharmacies will take part in stage one of the new national diabetes management program.
Ian Todd, president of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia’s South Australian branch, outlined the new program to delegates at this year’s AACP ConPharm conference held this month at Coolum in Queensland.
The first stage of the new program, called the Diabetes Medication Assistance Service (DMAS) and approved under the Fourth Community Pharmacy Agreement, will begin with the small-scale implementation trial from 1 July. The trial is modelled on University of Sydney’s primary care diabetes program research during the third agreement.
Mr Todd told ConPharm delegates the DMAS was an ongoing assessment, management and review in disease state management of type 2 diabetes, provided by the pharmacist in the pharmacy, in collaboration with GPs and other diabetes team health professionals.
The first stage of the DMAS will pinpoint the optimal number of follow-up visits needed; the sustainability of any improvement in diabetes control up to 18 months after the service ends; barriers and satisfaction levels of participating patients, GPs and pharmacists; and practical and logistical requirements. The second stage of the program will begin in July next year, rolling out the trial program in up to 800 pharmacies.
Pharmacists approved for stage one of the trial will receive a “readiness payment” of $500 once they show evidence of purchasing the appropriate equipment, and then pharmacies will be paid according to the number of visits and time spent. The total funding allocated for stage one is $432,000. For stage two, pharmacies taking part will be paid $320 per patient for five visits over a six-month period, based on a fee of $80 per hour. The initial consultation will be one hour, with follow-up visits lasting 30-45 minutes.
The program will see pharmacists helping patients with glucometer management, self-monitoring of blood glucose, measuring blood pressure and weight, helping with quality use of medicines, continuing communication with the GP and reminders for follow-up checks with GP and other health professionals as required.
To be eligible to run the trial program, the 90 pharmacists must complete a competency-based training course; have a separate, screened-off counselling area in the pharmacy to allow for private discussion between patients and the pharmacist; have a computer system suitable to run the software for downloading capillary glucose results; and agree to the various standards and protocols of the trial. The participating pharmacists would be trained appropriately and receive a “readiness kit” including program guidelines and standards, advice on infrastructure, patient recruitment methods, support networks, promotion materials and data collection and service forms. Pharmacists must charge a minimum of $2.50 plus GST for each patient visit, and some reimbursement of up to 14 hours’ worth of locum fees will be available to allow pharmacist training.
Patients will be eligible to take part if they have type 2 diabetes and been a regular prescription customer at the participating pharmacy for at least three months.
Mr Todd said DMAS is to be a specialty service for community pharmacy and must be provided during normal pharmacy business hours. However, consultant pharmacists may be involved if community pharmacies needed to outsource the provision of the diabetes program.