Media releases

Choosing Wisely Update - April 2020

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Information hub: Being medicinewise during COVID-19

We want to express our support and thanks to all of those from our sector who are responding to COVID-19 and who are committed to providing health care to people across Australia.

NPS MedicineWise is regularly publishing new articles to help people navigate their medicines during the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 information hub is available at www.nps.org.au/coronavirus 

Specific Choosing Wisely messages are in development to help raise awareness about using resources wisely during this time – stay tuned for updates.

Why become a Choosing Wisely health service?

Health services are leading the implementation of Choosing Wisely Australia through clinician-led initiatives. Hospitals are bringing together champions of quality evidence-based care - from specialist units, general medicine, nurses and medical trainees - under the Choosing Wisely umbrella.

For Choosing Wisely to have an impact on healthcare service delivery, it is vital that health services are championing the initiative at a local level. From Primary Health Networks and Local Health Districts, to hospitals and primary care practices, Choosing Wisely Australia encourages health services to engage in reducing unnecessary tests, treatments or procedures that are prevalent in their particular settings and so vital in the current environment

Participation as a Choosing Wisely health service member provides a range of opportunities:

Promotion as a Choosing Wisely Champion
Connections to a growing network of engaged clinicians and health services
Connections to health professional colleges, societies and associations
Being part of a forum that shares ideas and supports learning
Potential to jointly apply for funding

Access to relevant resources
Development of resources
Collaboration on evaluation of impact.

Find out more about becoming a Choosing Wisely Australia Champion Health Service.

Thoracic Society recommendation informs new NPS MedicineWise asthma program

A recommendation from the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand on combination therapy (inhaled corticosteroids with long-acting beta2 agonist) has been incorporated into a new educational program on paediatric asthma from NPS MedicineWise.

The recommendation, ‘Do not prescribe combination therapy (inhaled corticosteroids with long-acting beta2 agonist) as initial therapy in mild to moderate asthma before a trial of inhaled corticosteroids alone’, has been included as part of the discussion between NPS MedicineWise educational visitors and GPs and other health professionals to support the key messages of the asthma program, while raising awareness of Choosing Wisely, the recommendations, and alignment with quality use of medicines principles.

The program on Asthma and children: diagnosis and treatment offers:

Free one-on-one virtual educational visits for health professionals. Virtual visits are approved activities under the RACGP and ACRRM CPD programs. Pharmacists and practice nurses who participate can record the virtual visit as 1 hour CPD activity.

A Medicinewise News article: Spirometry and its role in diagnosing children’s asthma
Health professional website content on asthma
Updated health professional inhaler technique checklist
Patient fact sheet on spirometry
Consumer online information on asthma

To find out more go to nps.org.au/professionals/asthma-and-children-diagnosis-and-treatment

Clinical educators: this is the toolkit for you

In response to a growing demand for educational material about the Choosing Wisely initiative, a new Health Resource Stewardship Toolkit for clinical educators has been developed for use in universities, hospitals and health professional colleges.

Featuring presentation slides and case studies, the toolkit is designed for audiences including undergraduate students, early career clinicians undertaking work placement, early career clinicians undertaking specialist training and established clinicians who are full members or fellows of their respective colleges.

Find out more and download the presentation slides and case studies here.

Addressing unnecessary healthcare in general practice

For GPs, Registrars, Nurses and other general practice who want to address unnecessary tests, treatments and procedures in their practice, a new general practice toolkit will help equip you for this task.

Including recommendations and resources for GPs, ways to involve patients and carers, a list of NPS MedicineWise topics and CPD opportunities, and online education for registrars and students, this toolkit will help you raise awareness and implementation of Choosing Wisely in your everyday practice.

Stewardship toolkit for clinical educators

The Health Resource Stewardship for Clinical educators contains educational material about the Choosing Wisely initiative for use in universities, hospitals and health professional colleges

More details