Improving medication safety at discharge through the OPTMED-D project
Data shows us that there are inconsistencies with how and when general practitioners (GPs) and pharmacists receive a patient’s medicine and discharge information from hospitals. Despite the digital systems in place to communicate information at transitions of care, avoidable medicine errors, patient harm and hospital readmissions can still occur.
In response to this, the University of Queensland (UQ) launched a clinical trial in December 2025 called OPTMED-D (short for ‘optimising medicine information handover after discharge’).
The trial is testing a multifaceted intervention designed to improve communication between hospital-based clinicians and GPs and community pharmacists during a patient’s transition from hospital to community care. See the scientific literature for an in-depth understanding of the trial.
Through this innovative intervention, the trial hopes to significantly reduce 30-day hospital readmissions. They are inviting GPs, HMR (Home Medicines Review) credentialed pharmacists and community pharmacists in selected study areas/postcodes to participate. To express interest or learn more, please email [email protected] or refer to the project website.
What will change
hospital pharmacist navigators will identify patients at higher risk of hospital readmission due to medication related harm and who are currently residing within the top 20 postcodes for hospital readmissions in Metro South Health and Gold Coast Health areas.
high risk patients will be advised to request a referral from their GP for a post-discharge Home Medicines Review (HMR).
moderate risk patients will be advised to do a post-discharge MedsCheck with their community pharmacist and their GP will receive a copy.
Key features for GPs:
the hospital pharmacist navigator will facilitate discharge medication information transfer to GPs for moderate and high-risk patients.
GPs will be asked to refer high-risk patients for Home Medicine Reviews (HMRs), conducted by credentialled pharmacists.
HMR results and post-discharge MedsCheck outcomes will be shared with GPs to inform ongoing patient care.
RACGP accredited activities will be promoted soon, including education for GPs in study areas and self-directed measuring outcomes activity available for all GPs.
Key features for HMR credentialed pharmacists:
we are offering to connect credentialed pharmacists with GPs for HMR referral. If you would like to be a part of this, please complete this form.
participating HMR pharmacists will conduct a post-discharge HMR for high-risk patients and share their findings with the patients’ GPs.
pharmacists will be provided with training resources that may be used for CPD.
Key features for community pharmacists:
participating community pharmacists will conduct a post-discharge MedsCheck for moderate-risk patients and share their findings with the patients' GPs.
community pharmacies completing a post-discharge MedsCheck will receive an additional $30 remuneration plus a $5 administration fee for each review. (Learn more about MedsCheck claiming and payments.)
pharmacists will be provided with training resources that may be used for meeting continuing professional development (CPD) requirements.