The following  provides background information to the Enhanced Divisional Quality Use of Medicines (EDQUM) program, which was co-ordinated by the Australian General Practice Network in consultation with the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing and other stakeholders.

Quality Use of Medicines  

• Medicines play an important role in improving the health and well-being of many Australians.
• The Divisions Network strongly supports the National Medicines Policy which calls for:
  • Timely access to medicines
  • Standards of quality, safety and efficacy
  • Quality Use of Medicines (QUM)
  • A Responsible and viable medicines industry
• International research supports the use of QUM initiatives to improve quality prescribing, resulting in better health outcomes, a reduction in unnecessary hospitalisations and increased patient quality of life.
• There is already a considerable amount of QUM activity within Australia provided through Divisions delivering programs developed by the National Prescribing Service (NPS), an independent organisation.
• EDQUM has been developed in the context of the National Medicines Policy and current QUM activities to further enhance the quality use of medicines, through improving patient care and increasing the efficient use of health resources.

OUTCOMES

• EDQUM will support the prescribing practices of Australian GPs in the pilot Divisions through activities coordinated by the Australian General Practice Network.

• EDQUM will provide GPs with some activities and tasks focussed around prescribing data that will enhance current QUM activities provided through Divisions implementing NPS programs.

• EDQUM will assist GPs to gain access to and utilise up-to-date and personalised data on their prescribing patterns and provide opportunities to participate in peer review of prescribing data.

• EDQUM will strengthen community involvement in QUM through public education and consumer representation on the EDQUM steering group.

• The focus of EDQUM is solely on increasing quality prescribing. 

• Participating Divisions receive no up-front funding for EDQUM activities, but if EDQUM also results in reduced Pharmaceutical Benefits Schedule (PBS) costs, Divisions will receive a proportion of the saved funds in order to provide additional primary health care services to the communities in that Division.

• The Commonwealth has agreed to accept any increased costs in the PBS that result from EDQUM activities.

• EDQUM will provide two benefits to the community: enhanced quality prescribing by GPs and additional funds (where available) via Divisions for community-based health programs.

The EDQUM program has been developed in consultation between the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, the Australian General Practice Network and other stakeholders.

AGPN acknowledges the financial support of the Australian Government Department of Health & Ageing