Medicinewise app frequently asked questions

Have a question about the MedicineWise app? Read our FAQs to find what you are looking for.

What is the MedicineWise app?

If you regularly have trouble with managing your medicines and health info, then the MedicineWise app can help.

With this app you can easily keep track of medicines and access important health info any time and anywhere, especially in emergencies.

Perfect for those with multiple medicines, busy lifestyles, or carer responsibilities, the MedicineWise app allows you to do the following, plus much more:

  • Create a list of medicines by searching our comprehensive Australian medicines database
  • Record important health info such as medical conditions, allergies and health professional contact details
  • Set reminders for when to take medicines and attend doctor’s appointments
  • Access Consumer Medicines Information (CMI) to learn more about your medicines
  • Generate and share your medicine lists and usage reports with healthcare professionals via email
  • Store, graph and share your test results (eg, blood pressure, weight)
  • Create separate profiles for those in your care to manage medicines and health info for others
  • Store notes and questions to ask your doctor

Download the app from Google Play or the App Store. It's free.

 

Getting started

How do I download the app?

If you have an Android device, download the app from the Google Play Store

If you have an Apple iOS device, download the app from the App Store

Can I download this app outside of Australia?

This app uses Australian medicine brands and barcodes information, and is therefore available for download and use in Australia only.

Will the app work when I’m offline?

Most of the important features of MedicineWise, such as the reminders, will work offline. However the generation of reports and display of Consumer Medicines Information (CMI) and featured resources will require an internet connection.

Why do I need to log in?

The secure and convenient login feature enables you to"

  • keep your personal information safe by restricting access to you
  • back up your information in the cloud
  • automatically sync your information across multiple devices that you log into.
 

Privacy and security

Is my personal information safe?

MedicineWise is developed by NPS MedicineWise, an independent, and not-for-profit health organisation.

NPS MedicineWise respects the privacy of your personal and health information, and we will never share your identifiable information with other parties without your express consent. You can view our full Privacy Policy here.

NPS MedicineWise also protects your personal and health information through extensive security measures, and will only store your information in Australia and never overseas.

Why do I need to accept app permissions?

This app requires your permission to access your:

  • 'Calendars' so you can add some reminders from your app to your device's calendar
  • 'Camera' so you can scan barcodes on your medicines
  • 'Notifications' so you can receive reminders
  • 'Mobile data' so you can access your Consumer Medicines Information for each medicine, receive medicine database updates, and email your reports.
 

Profiles

What is a profile?

A ‘profile’ must be created for each person you enter into the MedicineWise app.

So if you are a carer, you can set up a profile for yourself and separate profile(s) for the other person(s) you care for.

Against each profile, you can record the medicines and medical info, and set reminders that are relevant to that person.

How do I add a new profile?

  1. Tap on the orange button on the lower right-hand corner of the 'MedicineWise' screen.
  2. Fill in the details for the new person, such as their date of birth, gender, emergency contact and health card details.

How do I edit a profile?

  1. Tap on the profile you wish to edit to take you to the profile's dashboard.
  2. Tap on the 'Personal Details' module on the dashboard to take you to the edit screen.
  3. Edit the person's details, such as their date of birth, gender, emergency contact and health card details.

How do I remove a profile?

  1. Swipe to the left on the profile you wish to remove.
  2. Tap on the ‘archive’ button to remove the profile from view.

How do I permanently delete an archived profile?

  1. Go to ‘Settings’
  2. Tap on 'Data updates'
  3. Tap on ‘Archived data’
  4. Swipe to the left on the archived profile
  5. Tap on the ‘Delete’ button.

How do I restore an archived profile?

  1. Go to ‘Settings'
  2. Tap on 'Data updates'
  3. Tap on ‘Archived data’
  4. Swipe to the left on the archived profile
  5. Tap on the ‘Restore’ button.
 

Medicines

How do I add a medicine?

You can add medicines in two ways.

  1. Search for the medicine from our comprehensive database of Australian medicines.
  2. Manually add the medicine.

Why does my medicines search not show any results?

You will need to add a minimum of 4 letters of either the medicine's 'brand' or 'active ingredient' name into the search field, before the app can search for the medicine.

If this search does not yield any appropriate results, tap on the (+) symbol below the search field to add the medicine manually.

How do I edit a medicine?

Once you have added a medicine to the app, unfortunately you will not be able to edit it. Delete the medicine first and then re-add it to your medicines list.

How do I delete a medicine?

  1. Enter the 'Medicines' module.
  2. Tap on the medicine you want to delete.
  3. Tap the icon located on the top right hand corner of the 'Medicine details' screen.
  4. Select either of the following menu options:
    1. 'Delete' to remove the medicine permanently, or
    2. 'Stop taking' to archive the medicine to the 'Stopped medicines' list.

To retrieve this 'Stopped medicines' list, go to the 'Medicines' screen, tap on the menu button located in the top right-hand corner, and tap the 'Show Stopped Medicines' option.

Why is my medicines database taking a long time to update?

The app's medicines database is periodically updated so you have the most up-to-date medicines information.

If you receive a message that the medicines database is updating, you will need to wait for it to complete, or you will not be able to access your medicines list.

Please note that it can take 10–15 minutes for the update to complete on some older devices. If this happens, you may wish to minimise the app to keep it running in the background until the update is completed.

Why can’t I see a Consumer Medicines Information (CMI) for my medicine?

The majority of medicines in MedicineWise will have a Consumer Medicines Information (CMI), however a few medicines will have a missing CMI as it cannot be displayed within the app.

If your CMI is missing in the app, please visit our online Medicine Finder to view your CMI from our website.

 

Medicine reminders

Why can’t I receive reminder notifications?

Here are common reasons why you may not be receiving notifications:

  • You may not have given permission for the MedicineWise app to access 'Notifications' on your device. Check your device's settings to ensure that this permission is on for MedicineWise.
  • Your 'Medicine Notifications' global setting within the app has been switched OFF. Please go into the app's settings section and turn this ON. Please note that this setting can only be ON for a single device at any time - so if you logged into the app on more than one device, always check that this setting is ON for the device currently in use.
  • The Reminder toggle for each individual medicine on the 'Medicines' screen may be turned OFF. Turn these toggles ON by tapping them until they switch to the orange ON state.
  • Your device's volume is set too low or is on 'mute'. Please change your device's settings to make your notification louder.
  • Your device has cleaning apps (e.g. Clean Master) installed that clean your device to improve performance, but may interfere with your reminders.
  • Your device has ‘battery optimisation’ restrictions that may prevent your reminders from appearing. See device-specific instructions on how exclude the MedicineWise app from the battery optimisation settings here

If these suggestions do not solve your reminders problem, please email us at [email protected] for further assistance.

How do I turn a reminder ON/OFF for an individual medicine?

  1. Tap on the 'Medicines’ module.
  2. Tap on the reminders toggle on the medicine - this toggle will turn orange when ON.

How do I edit the time for a reminder?

  1. Tap on the 'Medicines’ module.
  2. Tap on the medicine you want to edit reminders for.
  3. Tap on the text in the 'Dose and Frequency' field.
  4. Select 'Edit schedule'.
  5. Add in new reminder times by editing the fields on this screen.

Note: If you need to change the dosing frequency of a medicine (e.g. from a 'Once a day' to 'Twice a day' regimen) rather than just the dosing time, select 'Clear schedule' at step 4, and then tap the on the 'Dose and Frequency' to re-add a new dosing frequency.

Will my reminders work when I travel into a new time zone?

Yes. If the time zone on your device changes when you travel, you will need to restart your phone to ensure that the app’s reminders will trigger at the correct time in your new time zone.

For example: A reminder that was set at 9 am Sydney time, will trigger at 9 am in the new time zone.

How do I change the snooze interval on my reminders?

  1. Tap the Settings icon on the top left-hand side of the profiles screen.
  2. Tap 'Reminders & Notifications'
  3. Tap the 'Reminders snooze time' field and adjust the snooze time.

Will my reminders work when my device is offline?

Yes, your reminders will work when you are offline, so long as you are logged into your MedicineWise app account on your device.

Why do I get reminders on only one of my devices?

If you have logged into the MedicineWise app on multiple devices (eg, a phone and a tablet), your medicine reminders will only ever trigger for ONE of your devices. This is a safety feature to ensure that you do not receive duplicated medicine reminders across your devices.

You can choose which device your medicine reminders will come from by turning the 'Medicine Notifications' ON in the app settings of your chosen device.

 

Appointment reminders

What is a 'Health Reminder'?

A 'Health Reminder' can be used to set reminders for anything from your appointments and prescription refills. To add a 'Health Reminder':

  1. Tap on the 'Reminders’ module.
  2. Tap on the menu button located in the top right-hand corner of the screen.
  3. Select 'Add Health Reminder'
  4. Enter in your reminder details.
  5. Tap the 'Add to Calendar?' toggle ON if you want the reminder added to your device's calendar.
  6. Tap the 'Done' button to save your changes.

How do I edit a 'Health Reminder'?

  1. Tap on the 'Reminders’ module.
  2. Tap on the 'Health Reminder' you want to edit - this reminder should appear at the top of the screen on date that you have set the reminder to trigger on. If you need to navigate to the relevant day, tap the > symbol to move forward in dates.
  3. Edit details of the reminder.
  4. Tap the back arrow located at the top left-hand corner of the screen to save your changes.

How do I delete a 'Health Reminder'?

  1. Tap on the 'Reminders’ module.
  2. Tap on the 'Health Reminder' you want to delete - this reminder should appear at the top of the screen on date that you have set the reminder to trigger on. If you need to navigate to the relevant day, tap the > symbol to move forward in dates.
  3. Tap on the menu button located in the top right-hand corner of the screen and select 'delete'.
 

Health conditions

How do I create a new Health Condition?

  1. Tap on the 'Health Conditions’ module.
  2. Tap on the orange button at the bottom right-hand corner of the 'Health Conditions' screen
  3. Tap on the search field at the top of the 'Search for Conditions' screen
  4. Type in the name of the health condition - you should see results appear after typing in the first 3 letters. You can narrow results down by typing more letters.
  5. Tap to select your desired health condition.
  6. Fill in all relevant fields on the 'Add health condition' screen and tap 'Done' to save changes.

How do I edit a record?

  1. Tap on the 'Health Conditions’ module.
  2. Tap on the relevant saved health condition you want to edit.
  3. Edit your health condition details and tap the back-arrow to save changes.

How do I delete a record?

  1. Tap on the 'Health Conditions’ module.
  2. Tap on the relevant saved health condition you want to delete.
  3. Tap the icon on the top right-hand corner of the screen
  4. Select the option to 'Delete'.
 

Allergies and reactions

How do I create a new Allergy?

  1. Tap on the 'Allergies and Reactions’ module.
  2. Tap on the + button at the top right-hand corner of the 'Allergies' screen
  3. Fill in all relevant fields on the 'Add allergy' screen and tap 'Done/Save'.

How do I edit a record?

  1. Tap on the 'Allergies and Reactions’ module.
  2. Tap on the relevant saved allergy you want to edit.
  3. Edit your allergy details and tap the back-arrow to save changes.

How do I delete a record?

  1. Tap on the 'Allergies and Reactions’ module.
  2. Tap on the relevant saved allergy you want to delete.
  3. Tap the icon on the top right-hand corner of the screen
  4. Select the option to 'Delete'.
 

Health professionals

How do I create a new Health Professional?

  1. Tap on the 'Health Professionals’ module.
  2. Tap on the + button at the top right-hand corner of the 'Health Professionals' screen
  3. Fill in all relevant fields on the 'Add health professional' screen and tap 'Done/Save'.

Please note that if you have previously saved a health professional record against a different profile, you can select to add this health professional to another profile by tapping the 'Select from list' field at Step 3.

How do I edit a record?

  1. Tap on the 'Health Professionals’ module.
  2. Tap on the relevant saved health professional you want to edit.
  3. Edit your health professional details and tap the back-arrow to save changes.

How do I delete a record?

  1. Tap on the 'Health Professionals’ module.
  2. Tap on the relevant saved health professional you want to delete.
  3. Tap the icon on the top right-hand corner of the screen
  4. Select the option to 'Delete'.
 

Reports

How do I export a list of my current medicines?

  1. Tap on the 'Medicines’ module.
  2. Tap on the menu button located in the top right-hand corner and select 'Email medicines list'.
  3. Enter an email address and press 'send'. The medicine list will be a PDF file attached to your email.

How do I get a report of medicine doses that I have taken or missed?

  1. Tap on the 'Medicines’ module.
  2. Tap on the menu button located in the top right-hand corner and select 'Email medicines activity log'.
  3. Enter an email address and press 'send'. The medicines activity log will be a PDF file attached to your email.

How do I export my test and measurement results?

  1. Tap on the 'Measurements and Tests’ module.
  2. Tap on the measurement/test (e.g. Blood pressure) you would like to export.
  3. Tap on the menu button located in the top right-hand corner and select 'Generate Report'.
  4. Tap on the menu button located in the top right-hand corner.
  5. Enter an email address and press 'send'. The report will be a PDF file attached to your email.
 

Backup and sync

Can I back up my information?

When you are logged into your MedicineWise app account, your information will be automatically backed up against your account in the secure MedicineWise cloud system.

Can I sync my information across multiple smart devices?

Yes. If you log into your MedicineWise app account on multiple devices (ie,smartphones, tablets), your information will be synchronised to each of these devices.

How do I add in notes?

  1. Tap on the 'Notes’ module.
  2. Tap on the '+' symbol.
  3. Fill in the details for your note and tap 'done/save' to save changes.

How do I edit my notes?

  1. Tap on the 'Notes’ module.
  2. Tap on the note you would like to edit.
  3. Tap on the required fields and edit the text.
  4. Tap the back-arrow on the top left-hand corner of the screen to save changes.

How do I delete my notes?

  1. Tap on the 'Notes’ module.
  2. Tap on the note you would like to delete.
  3. Tap the icon on the top right-hand corner of the 'Note' screen
  4. Select the option to 'Delete'.
 

Device battery optimisation restrictions

How do I exclude the MedicineWise app from my device’s battery optimisation restrictions?

Here are device-specific steps that should help your reminders appear again.
If these suggestions do not solve your problem, please email us at [email protected] for further assistance.

Google (Nexus and Pixel) devices:

  1. Go to device settings
  2. Tap ‘Apps & Notifications’
  3. Tap ‘Advanced’
  4. Tap ‘Special app access’
  5. Tap ‘Battery Optimization’
  6. Find ‘MedicineWise’ app and ensure it is listed as ‘not optimized’.

HTC devices:

  1. Go to device settings
  2. Tap ‘Power’
  3. Tap ‘Battery Optimization’
  4. Tap ‘Not Optimized’
  5. Find ‘MedicineWise’ app and ensure it is listed as ‘not optimized’.

Huawei device with Android 7.0 or less:

  1. Go to device settings
  2. Tap ‘Apps’
  3. Tap ‘Advanced’
  4. Tap ‘Ignore Battery Optimizations’
  5. Find ‘MedicineWise’ and ‘ignore’ it.

Huawei device with Android 8.0:

  1. Go to device settings
  2. Tap 'Apps and notifications'
  3. Tap ‘Apps’
  4. Tap the three-dot icon in the right-hand corner
  5. Tap ‘Special access’
  6. Tap ‘Ignore Battery Optimization’
  7. Tap the arrow on the top right corner and choose ‘All apps’
  8. Find ‘MedicineWise’ in the list and choose ‘Allow’.

Huawei device with Android 9.0:

  1. Go to device settings
  2. Tap 'Apps'
  3. Tap the three-dot icon in the right-hand corner
  4. Tap 'Special access'
  5. Tap ‘Battery Optimization'
  6. Tap the arrow on the top right corner and choose ‘All apps’
  7. Find ‘MedicineWise’ in the list and choose ‘Allow’

Lenovo device:

  1. Tap Settings
  2. Select ‘Apps’
  3. Tap the gearwheel
  4. Tap ‘Battery Optimization’
  5. Select ‘all apps’
  6. Find ‘MedicineWise’ and tap it
  7. Ensure ‘MedicineWise’ has ‘don’t optimize’ selected for it.

OnePlus device:

  1. Go to your device settings
  2. Tap ‘Battery’
  3. Tap ‘Battery Optimization’ from the top right-hand corner menu icon
  4. Select all apps and disable ‘MedicineWise’
  5. Go back to ‘Battery Optimization’
  6. Tap ‘Advanced Optimization’ and disable it.

Oppo device:

  1. Go to your device’s Settings
  2. Tap ‘Apps’
  3. Tap ‘Advanced’
  4. Tap ‘Ignore Battery Optimizations’
  5. Find ‘MedicineWise’ and ‘Ignore’ it

Samsung device with Android 6:

  1. Go to your ‘Smart Manager’ app
  2. Tap 'Settings'
  3. Tap on ‘Battery’
  4. Under ‘App Power Saving’, tap ‘Details’.
  5. Tap on ‘MedicineWise’ and tap ‘Disable’.

Samsung device with Android 7:

  1. Go to your device settings
  2. Tap ‘Device Maintenance’
  3. Tap on ‘Battery’.
  4. Tap ‘Unmonitored apps’
  5. Add MedicineWise to the ‘Unmonitored apps’ list.

Samsung device with Android 8.0:

  1. Open your device settings app
  2. Tap ‘Apps’
  3. Tap the three-dot icon in the top right-hand corner, then tap ‘Special access’
  4. Tap ‘Optimize battery usage’, then tap ‘Apps not optimized’
  5. Select ‘All apps’, find ‘MedicineWise’ and disable it.
  6. Then go back to your device settings and tap ‘Device Maintenance’
  7. Tap on ‘Battery’
  8. Tap ‘Unmonitored apps’
  9. Add MedicineWise to the ‘Unmonitored apps’ list.
  10. Tap ‘Always Sleeping apps’ and ensure MedicineWise is not listed there.

Samsung device with Android 9.0:

  1. Open your device settings app
  2. Tap ‘Apps’
  3. Tap the three-dot icon in the top right-hand corner, then tap ‘Special access’
  4. Tap ‘Optimize battery usage’, then tap ‘Apps not optimized’
  5. Select ‘All apps’, find ‘MedicineWise’ and disable it.
  6. Then go back to your device settings and tap ‘Device Care’
  7. Tap on ‘Battery’
  8. Tap the three-dot icon in the right-hand corner
  9. Tap ‘settings’
  10. Tap ‘Always Sleeping apps’ and ensure MedicineWise is not listed there.

Sony devices with Android 6 or higher:

  1. Go to device settings
  2. Tap ‘Battery’
  3. Select the three dots in the top-right corner
  4. Tap ‘Battery Optimization’ or ‘Power Saving Exceptions’
  5. Tap ‘Apps’
  6. Find ‘MedicineWise’ app and ensure it is listed as not optimized.

Zenfone device:

  1. Go to ‘Asus Mobile Manager’.2. Turn on ‘Allow’ for ‘MedicineWise’.
  2. Go to your ‘App Launch Manager’ and allow ‘MedicineWise’.
  3. Go to ‘Battery Saving’ settings and exclude ‘MedicineWise’.
  4. Go to ‘Autostart Manager’ and allow ‘MedicineWise’ to autostart.

Other devices:

Battery Optimisation Settings for other brands of Android devices may differ. If your device is not on our above list, try to locate a similar setting on your device.