26 March 2007

A clinical audit for optimising drug use in ischaemic heart disease is now available in electronic format allowing general practitioners (GPs) to review the clinical management of their patients more easily. Responding to feedback from GPs, National Prescribing Service Limited (NPS) has developed software which converts its paper-based audits into clinical e-audits.

Judith Mackson, NPS Manager of the Education and Quality Assurance Program responsible for the audit, states that the benefits are clear: “With clinical e-audits GPs get immediate feedback on results,allowing them to quickly identify patients for review and follow up. It’s a win-win situation for both GPs and their patients. ”

The clinical e-audit on optimising drug use in ischaemic heart disease offers GPs the opportunity to review drug use in patients by optimising risk reduction for future cardiac events, optimising symptom
control in angina, assessing and managing coexisting hypertension and dyslipidaemia as well as reviewing strategies for optimal patient compliance with drug therapy.

Dr Bo Wong from Tamworth was among a first group of GPs who tested the audit and remarked that “this is a much better way of collecting and submitting information.” In his experience the e-audits “are working well” and he finds the audit is useful to GPs wanting a review of clinical management for ischaemic heart disease.

Each year NPS delivers a range of successful programs to GPs, pharmacists and other health professionals. According to a 2006 survey, 89% of surveyed GPs rate NPS to be of either great or moderate value. Around 50% of all GPs actively participate each year in NPS activities.

According to NPS CEO, Dr Lynn Weekes, NPS clinical audits are very popular among GPs: “Over 9,000 GPs have actively participated since 1998. Together with the recently released online case study on antibiotic therapy for animal bites, these new electronic applications will enable even more GPs to participate.”

The clinical e-audit software has been developed in consultation and tested extensively with GPs and is available on a CD. It is a stand-alone application independent of prescribing software. The application can be installed and used on any computer with an Internet connection and Windows 2000 or above.

No identifiable patient data is transferred. Audit data is de-identified, encrypted and transmitted electronically over the Internet to NPS to enable feedback from the group of participating GPs. Clinical data from all participating GPs is collated and transmitted back to the GP for reflection and review. NPS will release between 3-4 audits per year.

Completed clinical e-audits must be submitted to NPS by Friday 1 June 2007. More information and order forms are available online at www.nps.org.au/healthpro.

ENDS

National Prescribing Service Limited (NPS) is an independent, non-profit organisation for Quality Use of Medicines. We provide accurate, balanced, evidence-based information and services to help people choose if, when and how to use medicines to improve their health and well-being. We are member-based and work in partnership with health professionals, government, pharmaceutical industry and consumers. NPS is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.