[Time required and associated costs for implementation of home medication review with associated pharmaceutical and medical evaluation in the ambulatory health care sector].

Introduction: We aimed to estimate the time which is needed to conduct a home medication review (HMR) in the context of the AGnES implementation studies (AGnES=GP-supporting, community-based, e-health-assisted, systemic intervention). In a subsequent step associated costs were calculated.

Methods: IT-supported HMR were conducted by specially qualified AGnES-practice assistants to detect selected drug-related problems (DRP). The patient received pharmaceutical care by their local pharmacist and medical evaluation by their GP, respectively.

Results: The data from 471 patients (w: 339; m: 132) were evaluated (median age: w=81; m=78). The interview to detect selected DRP was 6 min (median) long. The subsequent drug record took 14.4 min. There was an additional effort for documentation of 5 min. The local pharmacist needed a median time of 15 min for pharmaceutical evaluation, whereas the GP needed 8 min. The estimated costs accounted for: AGnES-practice assistant: 9.12 €; pharmacist: 11.05 €; GP: 6.30 €. The overall estimated costs were 26.47 €.

Conclusion: For the first time we present objective costs which were associated with the implementation of HMR. Due to high DRP-induced costs the HMR should be mandatory for groups with a high risk like for the occurrence of DRP.