Home Medicines Review (HMR): Concept, Components and Relevance to Geriatric Care – A Review

The geriatric population is highly susceptible to medication-related problems due to age-associated physiological changes, multiple chronic illnesses, polypharmacy, poor medication adherence, inappropriate self-medication, and unsafe medication storage practices at home. Home Medicines Review (HMR) is a structured, pharmacist-led service that has been successfully implemented in countries such as Australia to optimize medication use and improve health outcomes. However, such a formalized service is not routinely practiced in India. This review aims to describe the concept, principles, objectives, and process of Home Medicines Review and its relationship with medication adherence, polypharmacy, self-medication, and medication storage in elderly patients. The review also highlights the relevance of HMR in the Indian healthcare context and emphasizes the need for implementing pharmacist-led homebased medication review services to enhance geriatric pharmaceutical care.