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Pharmacy

Asthma Pilot Program - Fact Sheet

Fact Sheet on the Asthma Pilot Program available under the Fourth Community Pharmacy Agreement.

In this section:

The Asthma Pilot Program (Pilot Program) is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing under the Fourth Community Pharmacy Agreement and will be managed by the Pharmacy Guild of Australia.

What is the Pilot Program about?

The Pilot Program involves the implementation of the Pharmacy Asthma Management Service or PAMS; a service model of asthma care provided within community pharmacy. PAMS is based on the Pharmacy Asthma Care Program (PACP) which was investigated in the Third Community Pharmacy Agreement Research and Development Program.
PAMS is an ongoing cycle of assessment, management and review of patients with poorly controlled asthma, provided by the community pharmacist, at regular intervals in the pharmacy setting.

The aim of PAMS is to assist patient self-management and improve the Quality Use of Medicines for people with poorly controlled asthma.

The Pilot Program will:
    • assess the feasibility, clinical and cost effectiveness of PAMS for patients with asthma; and
    • investigate methods to improve and facilitate the uptake of PAMS within community pharmacies by people with asthma.

What will my role be?

Community pharmacists participating in the Pilot Program will schedule in-pharmacy appointments with patients to assist them to manage their asthma.
These appointments will involve assisting patients to self-manage their asthma in line with the patient’s written asthma action plan.
This will include:
  • assessing a patient’s asthma severity and monitoring lung function;
  • reviewing and assisting with inhaler techniques and management;
  • assisting with self-monitoring and providing self-management education;
  • assessing adherence to asthma medications and assisting with the Quality Use of Medicines; and
  • facilitating communication between the patient, their general practitioner (or other health service provider) and the community pharmacy to improve continuity of care.
Community pharmacists will also be required to collect specified patient data, and participate in other activities at various times during the Pilot Program to assist in evaluating the effectiveness of PAMS.

When will the Pilot Program start?

The Pilot Program will be implemented in two stages. It is proposed that Stage 1 will begin early 2009, and will involve up to 100 community pharmacies from the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland.

The aim of Stage 1 is to identify the optimal number of patient appointments needed to deliver PAMS effectively and efficiently. Community pharmacies will be divided into two groups, with one group testing the viability of three in-pharmacy consultations and the second group testing the viability of four in-pharmacy consultations. Top of page

Subject to the successful outcome of Stage 1, Stage 2 will begin approximately 12 months after the start date of Stage 1, and will be available to an additional 500 pharmacies Australia wide.

In Stage 2 community pharmacies will test the feasibility of charging a fee to the patients involved in the Pilot Program. The participating community pharmacies will again be divided into two groups. One group will test the viability of charging one up front fee for the service, and the second group will test the viability of charging a fee for each individual consultation.

How can my community pharmacy participate?

A participating community pharmacy must:
  • have a community pharmacist who has been credentialed against the required competency-based training course prior to introduction of PAMS within their community pharmacy;
  • be a Section 90 community pharmacy;
  • have an established counselling area in the community pharmacy that allows for confidential sit down consultations between the community pharmacist and patient in an area distinct from the general public area of the community pharmacy;
  • have appropriate equipment to support the service (or purchase this equipment);
  • agree to provide the service in accordance with Pharmaceutical Society of Australia’s Professional Standards, Professional Guidelines and protocols for the Pilot Program; and
  • agree to collect and provide data to inform the Pilot Program’s implementation and evaluation.

What support will I receive?

Participating community pharmacies will be provided with a Pharmacy Readiness Kit containing:
  • program guidelines;
  • advice on establishing the necessary infrastructure to support the provision of the PAMS;
  • information on the Pilot Program and advice that may assist community pharmacists with patient recruitment;
  • details of any support networks;
  • materials that promote the service to consumers and other health professionals; and
  • relevant Pharmaceutical Society of Australia’s Professional Guidelines and Professional Standards to assist community pharmacists in delivering the PAMS.
Participating community pharmacists will need to complete a competency based training course.

This training will provide community pharmacists with the knowledge and skills to:
  • support patients participating in the Pilot Program;
  • detect medication related problems;
  • assess medication adherence; and
  • deliver appropriate information in line with Quality Use of Medicines principles.
Community pharmacists will also receive training on service requirements for the Pilot Program and how to implement the service within their community pharmacy. Top of page

Community pharmacies participating in Stage 1 of the Pilot Program will be eligible to participate in Stage 2.

What payments are made to community pharmacists for participating?

Participating community pharmacies will be eligible for a readiness payment of $500 (+ GST). Community pharmacies will be required to provide evidence that they satisfy the eligibility requirements, which include purchase of equipment to provide the service.

In Stage 1 of the Pilot Program, community pharmacies will be paid up to $400 (+ GST) per patient, depending on the number of consultations with each patient.

During Stage 2 of the Pilot Program, community pharmacies will be paid up to $400 (+ GST) per patient, depending on the number of consultations with each patient, minus the fee-for-service charged to patients during this stage.

For Stage 1 and Stage 2 the number of patients receiving the asthma service will be capped at 10 patients per community pharmacy.

Payments will also be made to participating community pharmacies as reimbursement for locum fees whilst the principal community pharmacist attends the competency based training course. Up to $1,120 (+ GST) per community pharmacy will be provided, calculated at $80 (+ GST) per hour for up to 14 hours, for one pharmacist per community pharmacy.

A spirometer and spirettes will be provided free-of-charge to each participating community pharmacy in Stages 1 and 2.

Which patients are eligible for this service?

Asthma patients will be eligible to participate in the Pilot Program if they:
  • have poorly controlled asthma;
  • do not regularly visit their GP for asthma care; and
  • do not have, understand or follow a written asthma action plan, or their plan is in need of review.
Patients participating in Stage 1 of the Pilot Program will not be eligible to participate in Stage 2.

How much will patients be charged for this service?

During Stage 1 of the Pilot Program there is no mandated patient charge for the service. During Stage 2, community pharmacies will be divided into two groups and will test two different fee for service methods.

Community pharmacists in one group must charge $2.50 (+ GST) per patient for each in-pharmacy consultation. Community pharmacists in the second group must charge one upfront fee per patient. If Stage 1 reveals that the optimal number of in-pharmacy consultations is three, the upfront fee charged to each patient will be $7.50 (+ GST). If Stage 1 reveals that the optimal number of in-pharmacy consultations is four, the upfront fee charged to each patient will be $10.00 (+ GST). Top of page

What about patient privacy?

Participating community pharmacists will be expected to comply with the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia’s Professional Practice Standards. The Standards require that a consumer’s right to privacy must be observed at all times.

Community pharmacists will need to seek agreement from the patient that the degree of privacy afforded to them is acceptable.

Community pharmacies participating in the Pilot Program will be audited to ensure that these requirements are met.

How do I get further information?

The Pharmacy Guild of Australia is currently developing material to assist community pharmacies to participate in this service, and will be providing regular communication to community pharmacists as the Pilot Program develops. Information on how to register will be provided when details are finalised.

For further information, please contact the Pharmacy Guild of Australia National Secretariat on (02) 6270 1888 or visit the Pharmacy Guild of Australia’s website at http://www.guild.org.au/pps/. Top of page