NPS MedicineWise
Established in March 1998, NPS MedicineWise (known prior to 2009 as the National Prescribing Service) is an Australian not-for-profit organisation whose programs are funded by the national Department of Health. Since July 2012, the organisation has been officially known as NPS MedicineWise. NPS MedicineWise provides practical tools (such as medicines lists), evidence-based information, and educational activities, with the intention of improving the way health technologies, including how medicines and medical tests, are prescribed and used. Overview. NPS MedicineWise was founded in 1998 as part of an Australian Government shift in health policy to address issues  around Quality Use of Medicines (QUM). NPS MedicineWise' initial mandate was to reduce cost of medicines to Australia's Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) by providing clinically reviewed independent information about medicines to doctors, pharmacists, and other health professionals. Many of these materials relate to new drugs or more complex grey-areas in the prescription process. Since 2003, NPS MedicineWise has assumed a secondary mandate: promoting discussion of basic medicine-related issues in the community via consumer education programs and major award-winning campaigns, including "Be Medicinewise Week", launched in January 2011. The campaign has been broadcast across a wide spectrum  of media channels and addressed common health issues such as lower back pain, antibiotics, and the active ingredient of medicines. Although NPS MedicineWise has brought wide-ranging savings to the Australian health system, critics have questioned the actual causes and ramifications of such savings. However the savings reported by the organisation are comprehensively evaluated and accepted by government, demonstrating a clear correlation between NPS MedicineWise programs and improved prescribing. Historical success. In the period between 1998 and 2004, 90% of all GPs were actively involved in one or more educational activities run by NPS MedicineWise, while approximately sixty per cent  of GPs and pharmacists rated its printed educational materials as good or very good. NPS MedicineWise activities have generated substantial financial savings to the PBS, with the organisation claiming that its information and education campaigns have reduced unnecessary prescriptions and improved prescribing decisions within the medical community. Various health professionals argue that, despite potential conflicts between cost-saving and the organisation's Quality Use of Medicines mandate, NPS Medicinewise will continue to improve on the current PBS system. NPS MedicineWise has also developed programs and resources to help consumers and health practitioners to discuss health issues and improve the QUM  within Australia. Campaigns. NPS MedicineWise works with consumers, healthcare professionals, government and industry to improve the health of all Australians through our targeted educational campaigns. Events. National Medicines Symposium (NMS). NMS is the pre-eminent quality use of medicines symposium held in Australia. Held every two years, the scientific program is designed to provide the latest and the controversial in the medicines and health environment and is delivered by international and nationally acclaimed experts. Current products & services. Health professional learning. NPS MedicineWise produces educational activities for general practitioners (GPs), pharmacists, nurses, and students, available online, individual face-to-face or  group discussion. Participants are able to obtain continuing professional development (CPD) points. Activities include case studies, clinical e-audits, online courses, educational visits, and pharmacy practice reviews. Medicines Line. A collaboration with "healthdirect Australia", Medicines Line is a telephone service providing consumers with information on prescription, over-the-counter and complementary (herbal, ‘natural’, vitamin and mineral) medicines. Call 1300 MEDICINE (1300 633 424) from anywhere in Australia. Hours of operation: Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm AEST (excluding NSW public holidays). MedicineInsight. A program that aims to improve understanding of GP prescribing behaviour. MedicineInsight collects and analyses anonymised  patient data directly from Australian general practices to provide practice staff with detailed insight into their prescribing and clinical activity and where improvements might occur. MedicineInsight has collected information on over a million anonymous patient encounters from hundreds of practices and thousands of GPs Australia-wide. Medicinewise smartphone app. A free mobile app used to keep an up-to-date list of all the medicines a user takes, helping to get to know medicines, get better results from your medicines and enjoy better health. The app features reminders of how and when to take medicines, calendar alerts for refills, a  barcode scanner to input medicines, and the ability to record details about your medical tests and results, and have your results graphed. Publications. NPS MedicineWise produces publications, articles and e-newsletters in print and electronic formats, all available free of charge. Health professional publications: