NPS MedicineWise CEO, Dr Lynn Weekes

Choosing Wisely Australia launch: Dr Lynn Weekes

DR LYNN WEEKES:

We think launching Choosing Wisely Australia is really important. It means we're part of an international movement that really is looking at where are those low value or inappropriate tests, procedures or treatments.

We have finite resources in our health system, we need a culture shift that doesn't do things we don't need so we have more resources to do the things we do need. We are seeing more and more that people are asking questions about their medicines. Why am I having this new medicine? How long will it be for? And we'd like to see those questions happening around tests and procedures.

The things I'd like Choosing Wisely Australia to achieve are two I think, twofold. First is more conversations, that's conversations between clinicians, within colleges which we're already seeing. Conversations between colleges that we haven't seen before and that's really exciting. And then conversations between consumers and clinicians in their rooms about that individual patient because we can make lists, but the individual patient and the care of that individual patient will always be tailored to that person.

I think we want to see a culture shift where we are really starting to think about more is not always better. And that's different to a lot of parts of our society, so it's a different conversation. Again, more is not better, but we really want to using resources when they're needed.