Socioeconomic and place-related factors and relation to prescription of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) medications in primary and secondary prevention of CVD
Organisation: The University of Sydney Funding source: Westmead Applied Research Centre (WARC)
This project will assess the extent to which socioeconomic status of an area contributes to geographic disparity in prescription patterns for cardiovascular disease risk factors in GP practices around Australia, and will evaluate the relationship between the remoteness and socioeconomic index of an area (on prescription practices).
Phenotyping (Supplementing the clinical coding of patients utilising longitudinal data)
Organisation: University of Melbourne Funding source: University of Melbourne
This project will utilise MedicineInsight data to evaluate the quality of electronic medical record data for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer and type 2 diabetes and through the analysis shall use longitudinal markers of care to supplement diagnostic coding where medical records are incomplete.
Use of psychotropic medicines in primary care patients aged 65 years or older
Organisation: NPS MedicineWise Funding source: Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care
Considerable variation in rates of antipsychotic and other psychotropic medicine use has been identified by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (the Commission). This suggests that these medicines may be being used inappropriately. However, the Commission’s analyses rely on PBS data which is unable to be linked to diagnoses or information about transitions of care. PBS data is also unable to provide information on whether these medicines are also being ordered as private prescriptions. MedicineInsight will be used to fill these information gaps.
Managing cholesterol in higher risk patients attending primary care
Organisation: Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute Funding Source: Amgen Australia
The Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute will investigate trends in cholesterol levels in adult Australians attending General Practice over the last 5 years, examining trends in lipid levels, particularly LDL-cholesterol, and treatment patterns in higher risk patients attending primary care.
Iron deficiency MedicineInsight report and quality improvement activity for the WA Primary Health Alliance
Organisation: NPS MedicineWise Funding Source: WA Primary Health Alliance
MedicineInsight data will be analysed to determine the prevalence, testing, diagnosis and management of iron deficiency in general practice, with the findings incorporated into an Educational Visit Workshop for health professionals in WA.
Risk factors for inappropriate prescribing of antibiotics in Australian general practices
Organisation: Curtin University Funding source: WA Primary Health Alliance (WAPHA)
This program aims to identify predictors and outcomes as well as to explore the contexts for the inappropriate prescribing of systemic antibiotics in general practices. MedicineInsight data will be used to examine related factors associated with the inappropriate prescribing of antibiotics particularly for tract, ear, skin, urinary tract and eye infections. The data analysis looks to identify the direction, strength and nature of these associations. This program will inform policy and practice in primary care.
Monitoring and evaluation of the Heart Foundation’s Risk Reduction Program
Organisation: National Heart Foundation Funding source: National Heart Foundation
This project aims to use MedicineInsight data to reduce the prevalence and impact of risk factors by increasing the number of Australians who have regular heart health checks to reduce their risk of heart disease.
Optimising quality of care among Australians with dementia
Organisation: University of Sydney Funding source: National Health and Medical Research Council and University of Sydney
This project is using MedicineInsight dataset to investigate the diagnosis and prescribing patterns for dementia and the subtypes of dementia within Australian general practice.
Atrial fibrillation and its management and outcomes in Australian primary care
Organisation: University of Tasmania Funding source: University of Tasmania
This research project is investigating the prevalence, management and outcomes of atrial fibrillation in Australian general practice. They will look at the use of oral anticoagulants and the adherence with guidelines to prevent stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation.
Recording of absolute CV risk using in-built calculators in GP clinical information systems
Organisation: National Heart Foundation Funding source: National Heart Foundation
The National Heart Foundation is using MedicineInsight to inform the overall rate of absolute CVD risk recording (using the clinical information system (CIS) in-built CV risk calculators) in General Practice for people aged 45-75 years.
Hunter Alliance Diabetes Management project
Organisation: Hunter New England Local Health District Funding source: Hunter Alliance Partners
The Diabetes Alliance program objective is to provide knowledge and support to primary care clinicians for them to give best evidenced care to patients with type 2 diabetes. MedicineInsight data will be used for assessing the management and potential improvements in clinical outcomes of patients with affected by this condition within practices. The results will help to improve the development of programs looking to better manage this chronic disease in the Hunter and New England region.
How well are people with coronary heart disease managed in primary care?
Organisation: La Trobe University Funding source: Heart Foundation
This study examines how patients are managed in general practice according to clinical guidelines for coronary heart disease CHD, in particular differences in level of treatment and management within the patient cohort.
Monitoring and evaluation of the Heart Foundation’s Risk Reduction Program
Organisation: National Heart Foundation Funding source: National Heart Foundation
This project aims to use MedicineInsight data to reduce the prevalence and impact of risk factors by increasing the number of Australians who have regular heart health checks to reduce their risk of heart disease.
Recording of absolute CV risk using in-built calculators in GP clinical information systems
Organisation: National Heart Foundation Funding source: National Heart Foundation
The National Heart Foundation is using MedicineInsight to inform the overall rate of absolute CVD risk recording (using the clinical information system (CIS) in-built CV risk calculators) in General Practice for people aged 45–75 years.
General Practice Insights Report 2017–18
Organisation: NPS MedicineWise Funding source: Australian Government Department of Health
This report provides an overview of the key features of general practice patients and activity in Australia for the period of July 2017 to June 2018. It also demonstrates how MedicineInsight data can be used to describe general practice activity.
Quality Use of Medicines for people living with HIV
Organisation: NPS MedicineWise Funding source: Gilead Sciences Australia and New Zealand
The aim of the project is to build and deliver a quality improvement intervention for the general practices and sexual health clinics in Australia that treat a significant proportion of people living with HIV, to highlight and address the identified gaps in care for those patient.
The aim of this study is to determine whether vaccination against respiratory infections is associated with a subsequent reduction in antibiotic prescribing.
This study plans to investigate the relationship between vaccination for respiratory infections and antibiotic prescribing for patients attending primary care in Australian general practice using MedicineInsight data.
A cluster randomised controlled trial of a MedicineInsight educational quality improvement program to improve the diagnosis and treatment of chronic hepatitis c in general practice
This project will deliver medical education as a quality improvement intervention to 200 general practices (most of whom participate in MedicineInsight) to support general practitioners in managing their Chronic Hepatitis C patients.
The purpose of this project is to explore the feasibility of using MedicineInsight data to conduct research evaluating 2018 influenza vaccines for primary care patients aged 65 years and older. Research areas of interest include the safety and effectiveness of vaccines used in this age group, and the comparative effectiveness of the two vaccines provided through the National Immunisation Program.
Evaluation of targeted hepatitis C virus education
Organisation: NPS MedicineWise Funding source: Gilead Sciences Australia and New Zealand
The aim of this project is to evaluate a 2017 quality improvement intervention for general practices and sexual health clinics that treat patients with hepatitis C.
A pharmaco-epidemiological study of osteoporosis management in Australian general practice
The aim of this project is to determine the prevalence and patterns of osteoporosis treatment pathways and treatment-associated outcomes. The analysis of MedicineInsight is part of a broader project which will also recruit GPs with high numbers of cases of osteoporosis patients for interview on reasons for treatment pathways.
MedicineInsight will be studied to understand the diagnosis and management of iron deficiency, and characterisation of patients with iron deficiency. It is anticipated that the results of this study may form the basis for future research and potentially inform the development of educational interventions aimed at improving outcomes for patients.
Lung cancer management in primary care: Feasibility project
Organisation: NPS MedicineWise Funding source: Cancer Institute New South Wales (CINSW)
This program aims to test the feasibility of using MedicineInsight data to gain insights into the primary care provided to patients diagnosed with lung cancer since the time of their first recorded diagnosis. The data analysis will assist the Cancer Institute New South Wales (CINSW) to better understand the impact of lung cancer on general practices and improve development and evaluation in this field, with primary health care.
Antimicrobial Use and Resistance in Australia (AURA) - 2017 report
Organisation: NPS MedicineWise Funding source: Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care
The Antimicrobial Use and Resistance in Australia (AURA) Surveillance System objective is to prevent and contain the risk of antimicrobial resistance for human health. This program reports on the use and appropriate prescription of antimicrobials in hospitals, aged care homes and the community. MedicineInsight data is used for the generation of the AURA 2017 report that is available on the link below on the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care webpage.
Hepatitis C educational and quality improvement program for general practice
Organisation: NPS MedicineWise Funding source: Gilead Sciences Australia and New Zealand
NPS MedicineWise is undertaking a project in general practice to support general practitioners in the diagnosis and management of patients with chronic hepatitis C infection. The project will focus on the appropriate use of medical tests and medicines, and a quality improvement program designed and developed as a result of the analysis from the MedicineInsight data will be delivered to about 100 general practices across Australia.
Preventive cardio-metabolic health care in general practice for people living with HIV compared with the general population
Organisation: NPS MedicineWise Funding source: Gilead Sciences Australia and New Zealand
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is an important health problem in Australia. People living with HIV have higher risks of developing cardiovascular disease. NPS MedicineWise is aiming to use MedicineInsight data to compare and identify gaps in the management of cardiovascular risk factors of people living with HIV. The results of the analysis will be used to develop an educational program for selected general practices treating people with HIV. Outcomes of the project will be made public on the NPS MedicineWise website.
MedicineInsight expansion in the Hunter New England Central Coast
Organisation: NPS MedicineWise Funding source: NIB Health Funds
The project is designed to improve the care of people in the community of the Hunter New England Central Coast PHN area by providing MedicineInsight program products and services to additional general practices which serve these communities. The expansion of MedicineInsight in these communities is funded by an independent grant from NIB Health Funds. MedicineInsight data will also be used to generate an annual report to identify improvements in clinical markets for the patient cohort. Copies of those reports will be published on our website.
Identifying factors and subpopulations associated with high use and high cost of services in general practice. A feasibility study
Organisation: NPS MedicineWise Funding source: Australian Government Department of Health
This project uses MedicineInsight data to determine which demographic factors and comorbidities are associated with high service use and high service costs in the general practice setting. The outputs of the data analysis will generate a report that will be used by NPS MedicineWise and the Menzies Centre for Health Policy to develop a simulation model to identify the impact of interventions to reduce low value care.
The impact of My Health Record use in primary care: Qualitative study
Organisation: NPS MedicineWise Funding source: Australian Digital Health Agency
This project uses MedicineInsight data to explore the use of the My Health Record in relation to medication management, in particular by determining high users of the My Health Record in NSW and Victoria, to recruit general practitioners and consumers to conduct in-depth interviews. The outcome of this study will also help inform other studies focusing on the impact of My Health Record in primary care.
This project uses MedicineInsight data to better understand the prevalence and management of osteoporosis in general practice. The outputs of the data analysis will be used to inform future education interventions and practice reports delivered independently by NPS MedicineWise.
Optimising early end-of-life conversations and advance care planning in general practice (Stage 1)
Organisation: Simpson Centre for Health Services Research Funding source: HCF Research Foundation
This project is investigating the feasibility of using MedicineInsight data to test indicators for patients near end of life, and if this data can be used to identify points for future intervention to improve advanced care planning in general practice.
The impact of My Health Record use in primary care: Quantitative study
Organisation: University of Melbourne Funding source: Australian Digital Health Agency
This project is a continuation of the qualitative study undertaken by NPS MedicineWise, to explore the use of the My Health Record in relation to whether having a My Health Record reduces duplication of tests and prescriptions for people concurrently attending multiple practices, and the measurement of the proportion of allergy and adverse drug reactions captured in the practice clinical information system and the My Health Record.
Closing the gap on Indigenous cardiovascular health: Improving community outcomes through policy relevant research
Organisation: University of Melbourne Funding source: Melbourne Academic Centre for Health
This collaborative project is the largest study of cardiovascular risk and outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people receiving care in Victorian general practice. The study aims to determine how variations in cardiovascular disease risk, events and treatment influences Australian Indigenous and non-Indigenous health outcomes.
Linkage of hospital and primary care data to drive improvements in cancer care
Organisation: University of Melbourne Funding source: Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre (VCCC) and Bupa Foundation
This project is the first large-scale, comprehensive data linkage of primary care and hospital data for cancer patients to create a platform for health services and other cancer research. Hospital clinical, clinical registry, administrative and costing data from 7 VCCC partner hospitals will be linked with Victorian Cancer Registry data. This linkage will allow identification of patients who have had a diagnosis of cancer within the hospital data. The cancer cohort will then be linked to primary care data (MedicineInsight) as well as patient-reported outcomes survey data collected by the VCCC.
Quality use of medicines and tests projects
Characterization of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) treated with single-inhaler triple therapy (SITT) or multiple-inhaler triple therapy (MITT) in Australia, using MedicineInsight and PBS data
This study aimed to provide evidence of real-world use of Trelegy Ellipta (once-daily single inhaler, fluticasone furoate/umeclidinium/vilanterol (FF/UMEC/VI) 100/62.5/25 mcg) in Australia post-PBS listing, and compare this with new users of multiple-inhaler triple therapy (MITT) in Australia post-approval of Trelegy.
Organisation: NPS MedicineWise Funding source: Australian Government Department of Health
This study aims to determine the number and geographical variation in requests for sexual health tests in general practice for syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhoea.
Economic Evaluation of the 2015 NPS MedicineWise Blood Pressure Program
This economic evaluation will investigate the effectiveness of the 2015 “Blood Pressure: Measure, Manage and Monitor” program in meeting its objectives and subsequently compare these measures of effectiveness to the costs of delivering the program. To assess the effectiveness of the program, the project will examine changes to prescribing behaviours at the population level through analysis of aggregated PBS data and changes to prescribing behaviours and clinical management of hypertension at the patient-level through analysis of patient-level data from MedicineInsight.
Hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin – prescribing patterns before and since COVID-19
Organisation: NPS MedicineWise Funding source: Australian Government Department of Health
This report will describe the prescribing patterns of hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin occurring in Australian general practice during COVID-19, with a focus on prescribing outside of guidelines to patients without an approved indication for therapy. MedicineInsight is also uniquely placed to provide information about the extent of private prescribing. These analyses will be used to inform NPS MedicineWise, the Therapeutics Goods Administration (TGA) and the COVID-19 Taskforce (Observation Data Working Group).
Faecal Occult Blood Tests (FOBTs) ordered by GPs for people aged 50-74 years in the general practice setting
Organisation: NPS MedicineWise Funding source: Australian Government Department of Health
This report is to describe the ordering of FOBT in general practice by analysing the records of the cohort of patients in the MedicineInsight general practice program who have a record of FOBT. The findings from this report will be used by the Bowel Screening Section of the Department of Health and Bowel Cancer Australia to help inform potential strategies to increase participation in the National NBCSP.
Epidemiology of psychotropic and opioid prescription in Australian general practice
Organisation: University of Adelaide Funding source: University of Adelaide
This project seeks to investigate current estimates for long-term prescription of psychotropic drugs and opioids in Australian general practice. Furthermore, it will investigate possible sociodemographic and clinical characteristics influencing the prescription of these medications and possible consequences related to the long-term use of these drugs, where available.
Prevalence and determinants of antibiotic use for infectious gastroenteritis in Australian general practice
Organisation: University of NSW Funding source: University of NSW
This project will investigate risk factors in general practice for antibiotic prescribing and inappropriate prescribing with the appropriateness of antibiotic prescriptions based on Australian therapeutic guidelines for acute infectious gastroenteritis. Specifically there will be a focus on prescriptions not consistent with clinical guidelines, and potential risk factors for inappropriate or unnecessary prescribing.
Evaluation of NPS MedicineWise “Reducing Antibiotic Resistance” program and associated time series analysis of antibiotic prescribing.
This project aims to determine whether antibiotic prescribing reduced over the course of the “Reducing Antibiotic Resistance” from 2012 to 2017 using the MedicineInsight dataset, by investigating the prescribing patterns over time for antibiotics.
Quality use of medicines for women’s reproductive health
Organisation: University of Adelaide Funding source: Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide
This research project is looking at real-world utilisation of medications for women’s reproductive health.
Medication changes in high risk patients with hyperkalaemia in general practice using MedicineInsight data
Organisation: The George Institute for Global Health Funding source: AstraZeneca
This project uses MedicineInsight data to characterise and assess medication changes in high-risk patients who experience hyperkalaemia in primary care. The outputs of this project will inform an evidence-based submission to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) by the funder who is also the sponsor for a new potassium-binding medicine for the treatment of hyperkalaemia in adults.
The purpose of this report is to describe the pharmaco-epidemiological profile of opiate prescribing in Australian general practice. This study will explore MedicineInsight data to describe trends in the volume of opiate prescribing, the characteristics of the patients prescribed opioids, the conditions for which they are being used and the nature of the medicines which are co-prescribed.
Antimicrobial Use and Resistance in Australia (AURA) - 2019 report
Organisation: NPS MedicineWise Funding source: Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care
The Antimicrobial Use and Resistance in Australia (AURA) Surveillance System objective is to prevent and contain the risk of antimicrobial resistance for human health. This program reports on the use and appropriate prescription of antimicrobials in hospitals, aged care homes and the community. MedicineInsight data is used for the generation of the AURA 2019 report that will be made available on the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care webpage.
Management of Crohn’s disease in Australian general practice
Organisation: NPS MedicineWise Funding source: Emerge Health
This project used MedicineInsight data to generate a report on the prevalence and pharmaceutical treatment of Crohn’s disease.
The report will be submitted by the funder, as the sponsor of budesonide oral, a medicine used to treat Crohn’s disease, to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) to provide evidence- based information about the medicine to support PBAC decision making.
A pharmaco-epidemiological study of Pregabalin in Australian general practice
This study describes the pharmaco-epidemiological profile of Pregabalin prescribing in Australian general practice. The results of this study are intended to guide the assessment of safe use of Pregabalin in general practice by the Therapeutic Goods Administration.
Can MedicineInsight support risk management plan evaluation?
Organisation: University of South Australia Funding source: University of South Australia
This project aims to analyse MedicineInsight data on the use of sodium glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors for diabetes. The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) requires post-market monitoring as part of risk management plans for therapeutic goods that are available in the market. The post-market report generated using MedicineInsight data will help to demonstrate the feasibility of using this data for the purpose of medication safety regulations in Australia.
Assessing the management of renal toxicity in primary care associated with Stribild™
Organisation: NPS MedicineWise Funding source: Gilead Sciences Australia and New Zealand
This project uses MedicineInsight data to assess if Highly Specialised Drugs (s100) prescribers of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) medicines are managing appropriately the renal toxicity risks associated with Stribild™. The use of MedicineInsight data will provide evidence of the utility of the data to support risk management plans and help to develop strategies to support safety of new pharmaceutical products.
Finding improved pathways to diagnosis of mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS) disorders
Organisation: NPS MedicineWise Funding source: Sanofi Genzyme and BioMarin Pharmaceutical Australia
The objective of this project is to analyse MedicineInsight data to determine if there are any patterns in mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS) disorders cases that may facilitate an earlier diagnosis of these disorders. The MedicineInsight data analysis was used to provide a preliminary report identifying data potential and limitations for this purpose.
Review of vitamin D, B12 and folate use pre- and post-November 2014
Organisation: NPS MedicineWise Funding source: Australian Government Department of Health
This project uses MedicineInsight data to support discussions around the current appropriateness of requesting vitamin D, vitamin B12 and folate testing in Australia. The analysis of MedicineInsight data will provide a better understanding of the impact of the new Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) policy changes for these tests that included restricting use of these tests in certain populations, and subsidy reduction.
Pneumococcal immunisation over 65 years
Organisation: University of Adelaide Funding source: University of Adelaide
The aim of this study is to better understand who receives the pneumococcal vaccine in Australian general practice. MedicineInsight data will be used to provide a comprehensive longitudinal view of the care patients received.
The prevalence of chronic musculoskeletal/ pain conditions in Australian in general practice and their association with vitamin D testing, vitamin D deficiency, vitamin D prescribing, analgesic prescribing and patient sociodemographic characteristics
Organisation: University of Adelaide Funding source: University of Adelaide
This project is looking at investigating chronic non-specific musculoskeletal pain (CNMP) and the role of vitamin D testing and supplementation in its management. This project uses MedicineInsight data to explore the estimates of the prevalence of musculoskeletal/ pain conditions in Australia, describe associations with patient characteristics, Vitamin D testing/ supplementation and determine if changes to Medicare rebates affected Vitamin D testing in Australian general practice. The results of the project have the potential to improve practice and contribute to clinicians, policy makers and consumers.
Prevalence and determinants of antibiotic use in Australian general practice
Organisation: University of New South Wales Funding source: University of New South Wales
Using MedicineInsight data, PhD students and their research supervisors at UNSW are investigating antibiotic prescribing risk factors in general practice. They are assessing the incidence and prevalence of antibiotic prescriptions based on the Australian therapeutic guidelines for antibiotics.
Treatment of patients with hepatitis C virus infection with direct acting anti-viral (DAA) in Australian general practice
Organisation: University of New South Wales Funding: University of New South Wales
Using MedicineInsight data, PhD students and their research supervisors at UNSW are investigating antibiotic prescribing risk factors in general practice. They are assessing the incidence and prevalence of antibiotic prescriptions based on the Australian therapeutic guidelines for antibiotics.
Osteoarthritis in General Practice
Organisation: University of Melbourne Funding source: RACGP HCF Research Foundation Grant
The aim of this project is to understand the management of osteoarthritis in Australian general practice. Various investigative aspects include the incidence and prevalence of osteoarthritis and the medications prescribed for the condition.
Assessing appropriateness of pathology testing in primary care- an exploratory study in older patients with type 2 diabetes
Organisation: University of Sydney Funding source: Sydney Medical School, Kickstart Grant
This project is using MedicineInsight data to investigate the frequency and trends of pathology testing for older patients with type 2 diabetes in Australian general practice.
Quality use of medicines in chronic kidney disease (CKD)
Organisation: University of Tasmania Funding source: University of Tasmania
The aim of this project is to assess the quality use of medicines in patient with CKD. The results of the MedicineInsight data analysis will help to inform discussions regarding the safe and effective prescribing of medications in patients with renal impairment.
Changes to preventative care, chronic disease monitoring, diagnosis and management activities in Australian general practice as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic
Organisation: University of Adelaide Funding source: University of Adelaide
This project aims to explore what changes in preventative care, chronic disease monitoring, diagnosis and management activities have occurred in Australian general practice as a consequence of social distancing, telehealth and the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically explored will be changes in:
screening for cancer (e.g. cervical cancer and colorectal cancer)
chronic disease management, with a focus on hypertension and diabetes (i.e. frequency of consultations, blood pressure and diabetes screening/diagnosis)
frequency of mental health issues (e.g. diagnosis of anxiety or insomnia/sleep problems) and
diagnosis and management of infectious respiratory diseases (e.g. influenza and influenza-like illness).
Trends in Dementia Diagnosis and Medication Use in Australian General Practice
Organisation: University of Tasmania Funding source: University of Tasmania
This project aims to investigate the overall prevalence of diagnosed/documented dementia in general practice patients across Australia, while also observing patterns in prescribing of antidementia drugs and potentially inappropriate medication (e.g. psychotropic drugs, anticholinergic agents).
AURA 2021: Fourth Australian report on antimicrobial use and resistance in human health
Organisation: NPS MedicineWise Funding source: Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC)
The aim of the AURA surveillance system is to provide a comprehensive picture of antimicrobial use, resistance and the appropriateness of prescribing in Australia, across all healthcare settings. It incorporates data from a range of data sources and supports the implementation of the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards and the National Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Strategy –2020 and Beyond, to prevent and contain AMR. This data is used to inform the development of guidance and resources to support prevention and containment of AMR, along with data to support clinical decision-making.
Use of MedicineInsight to inform the DoH Future of Pathology
Organisation: NPS MedicineWise Funding source: Australian Government Department of Health
This project aims to explore whether there are observable differences in the timeliness of pathology services across different regions of Australia, whether any variation in timeliness is the result of delays between the time of requesting the tests and collection of the test specimen or delays between test collection and receipt of results. It will also explore variations in the number of tests requested per patient across Australia; and variations in the combinations of test requested per patient across Australia
Prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease in the Australian general practice population: a cross-sectional study
estimate the prevalence of IBD (including Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and unspecified IBD) as well as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis separately.
assess the sociodemographic and environmental factors associated with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
Utilisation of denosumab and other medicines for the treatment of osteoporosis in general practice
Organisation: NPS MedicineWise
Funding source: Australian Government Department of Health
This study will describe the prevalence of osteoporosis in general practice, assess the potential level of underdiagnosis and undertreatment , and review the utilisation of medicines for the treatment of osteoporosis including an assessment of patterns of denosumab use.
Clinical review, testing and management of renally cleared medicines among MedicineInsight patients with CKD in 2018–2019
Organisation: NPS MedicineWise Funding source: Australian Government Department of Health
This project will explore information on the appropriateness of clinical review and pathology testing among people with CKD, categorised according to CKD stage and diabetes status, information on the sociodemographics and common comorbidities seen in people with CKD, and on the use of medicines and inappropriately high doses of renally cleared medicines
The aim of this study is to explore the patient prevalence of heart failure among regularly attending MedicineInsight patients aged 50 years and above, both nationally and by PHN, and describe the sociodemographics, comorbidities, and medicines use of MedicineInsight patients with diagnosed heart failure.
Validation of the MedicineInsight dataset: completeness and generalisability
Organisation: NPS MedicineWise Funding source: Australian Government Department of Health
This study aims to describe the completeness of a series of key indicators related to patient demographics, patient risk factors, condition recording, prescriptions, immunisations, pathology test results and billing data over time. It will document the representativeness of observations from the MedicineInsight dataset by comparing observed age, sex, socioeconomic status, geographical location and remoteness of patients in the MedicineInsight dataset with Australian national estimates, document the plausibility of observations from MedicineInsight by comparing observed chronic condition prevalence, medication utilisation and deaths with Australian national estimates, and assess the level of duplicate patients existing within the MedicineInsight data in a given year.
Validation of the MedicineInsight dataset: accuracy of diagnostic algorithms and the extraction and transformation of demographic, risk factor, medical history, prescription, and test information from the clinical information systems into the MedicineInsight Data Warehouse
Organisation: NPS MedicineWise Funding source: Australian Government Department of Health
This study aims to measure the accuracy of condition flags (i.e. MedicineInsight variables that indicate whether patients have the condition of interest) for two serious health outcomes, compared with a review of electronic health records held in the CIS. It will also compare the accuracy of the MedicineInsight condition flags when based on 1) coded diagnosis/medical history only; 2) coded and free text diagnosis/medical history only; 3) coded and free text diagnosis/medical history, reason for encounter and reason for prescription, and measure how accurately the two MedicineInsight extraction tools extract data from the two GP clinical information systems (which is then processed in the Data Warehouse) on patient demographics, risk factors, past medical history, medications and pathology tests, compared to the original data available within the CIS.
Validation of the MedicineInsight dataset: The accuracy of date of death recording in the MedicineInsight general practice database compared with the National Death Index in Australia
Organisation: NPS MedicineWise Funding source: Australian Government Department of Health
The proposed study aims to estimate the annual mortality rate for regularly attending MedicineInsight patients and compare this with the published mortality rates from the AIHW, and measure the accuracy of the MedicineInsight deceased indicator (i.e. derived MedicineInsight variable that indicates whether patients have a record of death) and the derived date of death, compared with national death registration data from the NDI.
Validation of the MedicineInsight dataset: The accuracy of algorithms for identifying five serious health outcomes / adverse events in the MedicineInsight general practice database compared with hospital data and cause of death data in Australia
Organisation: NPS MedicineWise Funding source: Australian Government Department of Health
This study will focus on validating five serious health outcomes in MedicineInsight, identified through consultation with the TGA as important potential adverse events requiring post-market monitoring and which are most likely to present to secondary care. We will compare the MedicineInsight algorithms for identifying myocardial infarction, stroke, venous thromboembolism, pancreatitis and suicide with information available in linked hospital admissions data and cause of death data from the death registry.
Influenza immunisation on reducing subsequent vascular disease
Organisation: The University of Sydney Funding source: The University of Sydney
There is evidence suggesting influenza immunisation is an independent protective factor for developing cerebrovascular and cardiovascular disease. This project aims to determine the impact influenza immunisation has on reducing subsequent transient ischaemic attack, stroke or acute myocardial infarction.
Herpes Zoster Immunisation on reducing subsequent vascular disease
Organisation: The University of Sydney Funding source: The University of Sydney
There is evidence suggesting Herpes Zoster is an independent risk factor for developing cerebrovascular and cardiovascular disease. The live herpes zoster vaccine has been shown to reduce the incidence and severity of herpes zoster. This project aims to determine the impact immunisation with the live Herpes Zoster vaccine has had on reducing subsequent transient ischaemic attack, stroke or acute myocardial infarction.
Impact of the 2019/20 bushfires on Australia’s health
Organisation: NPS MedicineWise Funding source: Australian Government Department of Health
This project will deliver a comparative analysis of the incidence and prevalence of physical and mental conditions before and after the 2019-20 bushfire period, and patient GP encounter rates with regard to conditions of interest (including heart attacks, stroke, asthma, COPD, URTI and other respiratory conditions, lung cancer, diabetes, septicaemia, fluid and electrolyte disorders, urinary tract infections, acute renal failure, anxiety, depression and PTSD). Analyses will be by age groups, gender, location, remoteness and socioeconomic status.
General Practice Insights Report 2018–19
Organisation: NPS MedicineWise Funding source: Australian Department of Health
The General Practice Insights Report 2018–19 provides national data on management of patients within primary care. This will be the third such report and includes information on the demographics of primary care patients, the conditions general practitioners manage, the medicines they prescribe and the tests they order.
NPS MedicineWise is preparing a longitudinal descriptive study investigating eczema in Australian general practice using MedicineInsight data.
Severe mental illness and health seeking behaviour
Organisation: University of New South Wales Funding source: University of New South Wales
This research project aims to investigate pathways to preventive care for people with severe mental illness (PWSMI), and to identify any gaps in the management of physical health of PWSMI.
Identification of Frailty in an Australian general practice database using the electronic Frailty Index: an exploratory Study
Organisation: University of New South Wales Funding source: University of New South Wales
This study aims to examine the feasibility of automatically calculating an electronic Frailty Index in general practice, overcome barriers to frailty screening and inform development of interventions to improve health outcomes in older patients.
Primary Health Network (PHN) Needs Assessment
Organisation: Curtin University Funding source: Western Australia Primary Health Alliance
The population planning project, commissioned by the Western Australia Primary Health Alliance, aims to estimate the need, supply and cost of health services in Western Australia. MedicineInsight data usage looks at demand and utilisation of health services across general practices in the state, and identifies key priority areas and options for addressing population health needs. The results will help to identify potential areas for investment and development, and to design new services.
Does continuity of primary care reduce demand on emergency department presentations and hospital admissions?
Organisation: Curtin University Funding source: National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Grant
The primary aim of this project is to evaluate the influence of patterns of primary care contact on emergency departments visits and hospital admissions. MedicineInsight data is used for evaluating the role of primary care in improving health and preventing progression of disease and hospitalisation.
Improving influenza and influenza like illness surveillance
Organisation: Department of Health and Human Services Victoria Funding source: Department of Health and Human Services Victoria
This study is exploring whether MedicineInsight data can improve existing influenza sentinel surveillance systems on the community burden of disease during the influenza season and for ongoing surveillance throughout the year.
Epidemic thunderstorm asthma analysis in general practice setting
Organisation: Department of Health and Human Services Victoria Funding source: Department of Health and Human Services Victoria
This study aims to describe the impact of past epidemic thunderstorm asthma events on the populations attending general practices. MedicineInsight data will be used to assess health care seeking behaviours and patient management, and input into epidemic thunderstorm asthma forecasting models. The data will also be used to assess the Thunderstorm Asthma Program that followed the epidemic thunderstorm asthma event in Victoria in November 2016.
Improving outcomes with better use of blood pressure and other cardiovascular medicines
Organisation: The George Institute for Global Health Funding source: National Health and Medical Research Council
This project uses MedicineInsight data to identify opportunities to improve outcomes with better use of cardiovascular (CVD) medicines, including determining the potential for improving use of CVD preventive medicines in Australia.
Creating a Tasmanian Diabetes Atlas
Organisation: Primary Health Tasmania Funding source: Primary Health Tasmania
The project uses MedicineInsight data to explore the pattern and distribution of diabetes in Tasmania with the aim of reducing the impact of diabetes, and improving the management of resources and the care provided to people affected by this health problem in Tasmania.
AusVaxSafety: national vaccine safety surveillance and signal detection
Organisation: National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS) Funding source: Australian Government Department of Health
This project uses MedicineInsight data to monitor vaccine safety which is a key priority for the Australian Government. The results of the analysis will be incorporated to the government-funded active vaccines safety surveillance program (AusVaxSafety). The use of MedicineInsight data will support surveillance (pharmacovigilance), policy development and program implementation in the area of vaccine safety.
Demonstrating capability of linking MedicineInsight with MBS/PBS data
Organisation: NPS MedicineWise Funding source: Australian Government Department of Health
The primary purpose of this project is to demonstrate the technical capability for de-identified MedicineInsight data to be linked successfully to MBS/PBS data.
It will explore data linkage methods/tools and identify a preferred technical solution conducting a proof of concept to demonstrate this capability. The project will outline privacy and data governance considerations, and mitigations/controls.
Study to describe the prevalence and characterisation of aortic stenosis in Australian general practice
Organisation: NPS MedicineWise Funding source: Australian Government Department of Health
This project will deliver a MedicineInsight report on existing national key performance indicators (nKPIs) for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-indigenous people managed in mainstream MedicineInsight general practices.
Preventing obesity in childhood and adolescence: weight and height screening in Australian general practice
Organisation: University of Adelaide Funding source: University of Adelaide
This project aims to research if children's and adolescents' weight and height are being measured during medical consultations in Australian general practices. MedicineInsight data provides an overview of the current situation in Australia that may allow improving clinical practice activities, and nutritional status in children and adolescents.
Cardiovascular disease in adults: primary and secondary prevention in Australian general practice
Organisation: University of Adelaide Funding source: University of Adelaide
The primary aim of this project is to evaluate if strategies for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases are incorporated among regular activities performed by general practitioners during consultations. MedicineInsight data analysis provides information that can potentially improve clinical practice, health professionals’ training and management of cardiovascular diseases.
Influenza-like illness surveillance and influenza vaccine effectiveness estimation using NPS MedicineWise data: A pilot project
Organisation: University of Adelaide Funding source: University of Adelaide
This project is aiming to explore if MedicineInsight data could be used to undertake influenza surveillance, in particular vaccine effectiveness in Australian general practices. The benefits of using MedicineInsight data for influenza surveillance include more reliable indicators, and more efficient development of influenza vaccination plans that ultimately will contribute to the improvement of public health.
Using MedicineInsight data for surveillance of Adverse Events Following Immunisation
Organisation: University of New South Wales Funding source: University of New South Wales
This project will assess the potential of MedicineInsight data to detect clusters of Adverse Events Following Immunisation in Australia, to potentially ascertain the causality of the clusters and investigate other hypotheses related to vaccine safety.
General practice visits for infectious diseases in Australia
Organisation: University of New South Wales Funding source: University of New South Wales
The primary aim of this project is to estimate the impact of infectious diseases in general practice settings, and the healthcare resource use and cost linked to these visits. MedicineInsight data is used to evaluate prevention strategies to implement and improve programs such as vaccination initiatives in Australia.
Meteorological conditions driving pollen movement and its impact on GP presentations forasthma and rhinitis.
Organisation: University of New South Wales Funding source: University of New South Wales
This project aims to improve the understanding around the relationship between acute asthma and allergic rhinitis during various meteorological conditions in different regions of Australia and to determine if an early warning system could be developed.
Potential of MedicineInsight to evaluate the National Immunisation Program
Organisation: University of New South Wales Funding source: University of New South Wales
This project will assess the potential for MedicineInsight to be used to evaluate the impact and effectiveness of the National Immunisation Program, including the ability to monitor the burden of vaccine preventable diseases and the impact and effectiveness of vaccines such as influenza, pneumococcal and herpes zoster.
Evaluation of vaccination coverage data for population subgroups
Organisation: University of New South Wales Funding source: University of New South Wales
The primary aim of this project is to assess the suitability of using MedicineInsight data for providing vaccination coverage estimates in particular for subgroups for whom vaccines are funded under the National Immunisation Program. MedicineInsight data is used for estimating influenza vaccination coverage in medically at risk and elderly Australian adults.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) prevalence and management in people with type 2 diabetes in Australian general practice
Organisation: University of Melbourne Funding source: University of Melbourne
This project uses MedicineInsight data to consider whether there are currently any gaps in the screening and recording of CKD and appropriate prescribing of antihyperglycaemic and cardiovascular medications in general practice and, if so, make recommendations for how these gaps can be addressed in order to optimise the care provided in general practice for this important population by developing interventions to reduce inappropriate prescribing in renal impairment and educating patients on self-management strategies to complement best practice management.
Prescribing of diabetes medications in patients with type 2 diabetes and renal impairment in Australia
Organisation: University of Melbourne Funding source: Boehringer Ingelheim/ Eli Lilly
This project uses MedicineInsight data to explore the issue of prescription of medicines for people with type 2 diabetes and renal impairment. The analysis of the data will show whether the non-insulin diabetes medications are appropriately prescribed in general practices in Australia.
Health economics and epidemiology of myalgic encephalomyelitis/ chronic fatigue syndrome
Organisation: University of Tasmania Funding source: Medical Research Future Fund
This study will estimate the prevalence of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) in Australian primary care patients. The only data on prevalence for Australia, was published in 1998 and was based on a population in regional New South Wales, using broad diagnostic criteria that are no longer valid.
Developing data linkage capability within the MedicineInsight dataset
This project will demonstrate whether it’s possible to create unified data linkage keys across MedicineInsight records. It will explore linkage methods/tools, particularly the use of ‘bloom filters’ which are emerging as the preferred technical solution for record linkage to MBS/PBS and other national datasets.
Comparison of free-text in reason for encounter fields in GP electronic health records with SNOMED CT terms
Organisation: Telethon Kids Institute Funding Source: Telethon Kids Institute
This is a clinical improvement pilot study comparing two processes for medical coding of GP free text. The Telethon Kids Institute will be using both manual and automatic methods to code to an internationally recognised clinical healthcare classification (SNOMED CT).
Quality investigation into MedicineInsight data: improving interpretation of MedicineInsight data
Organisation: Australian Bureau of Statistics Funding source: Australian Government Department of Health
This project aims to understand and make other users aware of the uses and limitations of MedicineInsight data; and to collaboratively work on an enduring document that will provide researchers, general practitioners and policy makers with information to help them make the best use of MedicineInsight data to facilitate improved health outcomes in Australia.
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare data evaluation project
Organisation: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Funding source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare is using a sample of MedicineInsight data to evaluate the feasibility of the MedicineInsight data to support and inform national level reporting in primary care in Australia.
Linkage of the MedicineInsight general practice data set with the Victorian Linkage Map (VLM)
Organisation: Centre for Victorian Data Linkage Funding source: Australian Government Department of Health
This feasibility assessment is looking at the potential of linking MedicineInsight data to the Victorian Linkage Map.
It will explore data linkage methods/tools and identify a preferred technical solution conducting a proof of concept to demonstrate this capability. The project will outline privacy and data governance considerations, and mitigations/controls.
Evaluation of the Health Care Homes program
Organisation: Health Policy Analysis Funding source: Australian Government Department of Health
Health Care Homes (HCH) is a new model of primary care where practices receive a periodic bundled payment to provide ongoing chronic disease-related care to patients. MedicineInsight data will be used to support the evaluation of HCH by the independent evaluators. Data from consenting general practices participating in HCH will be shared with the evaluators, as well as de-identified data from non-participating general practices for the purpose of defining a comparator cohort.
Enriching MedicineInsight data with social determinants of health
This project aims to enrich MedicineInsight data with social research data which would provide holistic consumer behaviours and views, and enable the delivery of more targeted public health campaigns to a more specific audience. The first phase of this project which has been approved is assessing the technical feasibility and utility of enriching MedicineInsight data with social research data.
MedicineInsight report on general practice activity in Australia 2015–2016
Organisation: NPS MedicineWise Funding source: Australian Government Department of Health
This project uses MedicineInsight data to generate a report describing patient’s management including number of encounters and prescriptions for common conditions such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and depression. The representative of MedicineInsight data is compared with other data sources such as Australian Medical Publishing Company, General Practice Workforce Statistics, MBS statistics, among other national data sources.
This project used MedicineInsight data to generate a report showing evidence on diagnosed conditions for prescribing tiotropium (a PBS-listed medicine). The report will be submitted by the funder, as the sponsor of the medicine, to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) to provide evidence- based information about the medicine to support PBAC decision making.
Feasibility of MedicineInsight data to support clinical trials in Australian general practice
This project is testing the feasibility of using MedicineInsight data to setting up clinical trial sites in Australia and identifying potential patients to be recruited into clinical trials.
Effective Quality Incentive Payments in General Practice (EQuIP-GP)
Organisation: University of Wollongong Funding source: Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
The EQUiP-GP study investigates the impact of an alternate, outcomes based funding model that provides incentives linked to the continuous quality improvement of primary care provision by general practitioners. MedicineInsight data from consenting practices participating in the study will be analysed for pre- and post-intervention measures by a collaborative project team from University of Wollongong, University of Tasmania and Monash University.
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