Reports & evaluation

The NPS MedicineWise Annual Report is a showcase of our work over each financial year. It provides an overview of our key activities and initiatives, reports on our performance, and includes our annual financial statements.

The NPS MedicineWise annual report is prepared in accordance with the Corporations Act 2001.

As NPS MedicineWise continues to develop new areas of interest and strength, educating people to make the best decisions about medicines and medical tests, we continue to demonstrate the impact of our programs on prescribers of medicines.

The 20th Annual Evaluation Report summarises the results from evaluations conducted in 2016/17.

Highlights include:

• $73.65 million – reported savings for the PBS, a result of the impact of our eight programs.
  
• $22.58 million – reported savings for the MBS achieved via significant reductions in CT scans and ultrasound services of the abdominal region by GPs.
  
• Choosing Wisely Australia – 80% of medical colleges and societies are now participating in Choosing Wisely.

The General Practice Insights Report 2017-18 analyses the de-identified data of 2.7 million patients to reveal the common chronic health conditions in general practice in 2017–18 and the clinical management the patients received.

The report, commissioned by the Australian Government Department of Health, shows that hypertension, depression, anxiety, asthma and arthritis are common chronic conditions patients present with to GPs.

From this report, we also know the common medicines prescribed in Australia in 2017–18 were those used to treat cardiovascular and nervous system disorders. Opioids account for 10 per cent of all original prescriptions. Common pathology tests included full blood counts, liver function tests and tests for cholesterol.

The General Practice Insights Report 2016–17 was the first time clinical data collected from participating MedicineInsight practices were used to provide insights into general practice at a national level.

These working papers demonstrate how clinical data from participating practices can help inform policy, research and health systems to improve health outcomes for all Australians. 

The reports include key findings including the most frequent reasons recorded as to why patients go to a doctor, chronic conditions with which patients present to GPs, and the most frequently prescribed medicines and medical tests.

MedicineInsight is a quality improvement program developed to improve clinical practice and health outcomes in Australia. MedicineInsight allows GPs to reflect on their own patterns of prescribing and patient care. Insights drawn from the aggregated clinical data of all participating general practices can also be used by policymakers, health systems and health professionals. The reports reproduced below have been commissioned by the Australian Department of Health.

In 2017, NPS MedicineWise collaborated with the Consumers Health Forum of Australia (CHF) on a research project looking at consumers’ attitudes to use of their health data. The final report was generated through qualitative interviews, literature reviews, a round table discussion with key stakeholders and consumer representatives, and a nationally representative survey of 1,013 Australians.

The final report, Engaging consumers in their health data journey, is now available here.

These research findings provide key insights about consumers' attitudes to use of their health data and their preferences about consent.

If you have any comments or questions about this report, please email Bronwyn Walker at [email protected].

Accessibility: this report is currently not accessible but will be updated soon with an accessible version. If you need help, please contact us on phone: +61 2 8217 8700.

Since 1998, scientific publications have been developed by NPS MedicineWise staff or funded or supported by NPS MedicineWise.

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