Enhanced Divisional Quality Use of Medicines Program (EDQUM)

The following  provides background information to the Enhanced Divisional Quality Use of Medicines (EDQUM) program, currently being developed by the Australian Divisions of General Practice in consultation with the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing and other stakeholders.

• 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.

Osborne Division	Southern Tasmania Division	Central Bayside Division
Riverina Division	Brisbane North Division	Ballarat and District Division
Bendigo and District Division	Canning Division	Mackay Division

A consortium of four divisions coordinated by Queensland Rural Medical Support Agency
Central Qld. Rural	Central West Qld. Rural	Far North Qld. Rural	South Qld.Rural

In the week prior to the close of the financial year ADGP secured from DoHA limited funding for the EDQUM program. These funds will provide:

1. Support to enable participating Divisions to work together and with key stakeholders and meet the costs associated with participation in the pilot
2. An independent expert consultancy to work with Divisions and stakeholders on the development of quality use of medicine indicators and tools.
3. Program management by ADGP

The Department has also agreed to fund an independent evaluation of the pilot year and to provide staff and support for the program, including the EDQUM Steering Group and EDQUM Data Reference Group.  This evaluation will assess whether the program has achieved its aims of building on and expanding existing Quality use of Medicine strategies.

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

• 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 will 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 Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing, the Australian Divisions of General Practice and other stakeholders.

For more information regarding this program contact:

Mark Daddo
National QUM Program Officer
Australian Divisions of General Practice
Phone: 02 6251 3599
Fax: 02 6251 3390
Mobile: 0417 847 983