A qualitative evaluation of Australia’s National Inpatient Medication Chart GP e-Version
Kate Oliver
In 2004, the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (“the Commission”) introduced a National Inpatient Medication Chart (NIMC) to optimise safe prescribing and administration of medicines in hospitals. In 2009, the Commission approved use of a NIMC General Practitioner (GP) e-version, a printable version of the NIMC, pre-populated with medication information contained in GP software. In smaller Australian hospitals, where GPs have admitting rights, this NIMC GP e-version is currently being used.The objective of this research was to review and evaluate use of the NIMC GP e-version.
We aimed to: 1) Understand how the NIMC GP e-version is used; 2) Identify possible benefits and risks associated with use of the NIMC GP e-version; and 3) Identify factors that may be contributing to increased risk while using the NIMC GP e-version.
Doctors, nurses and pharmacists working in regional hospitals and clinics were observed as they used the NIMC GP e-Version and interviewed about the chart. Telephone interviews with additional staff (doctors, nurses, pharmacists and GP vendors) were also undertaken.
This project is funded by The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care
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