Beyond the paper trail: using technology to reduce escalating harms from opioid prescribing in Australia.

CONCLUSION: Australia has a burgeoning problem associated with the misuse of pharmaceutical opioids. There is increased recognition of a range of iatrogenic harms. A number of factors limit Australia's response capacity including lack of technological capacity to provide on-line, real-time information for prescribers and pharmacists. IMPLICATIONS: Providing prescribers, pharmacists and regulators with on-line, real-time information about patients' prescription opioid use will improve the quality use of medicines. A national system is required to co-ordinate data on Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and unsubsidised medicines, including private prescriptions. Pharmaceutical opioids are not the only medicines subject to misuse and therefore the need to capture data on other relevant medicines is also addressed. PMID: 23551472 [PubMed - in process]
Source: Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health - Category: Global & Universal Authors: Tags: Aust N Z J Public Health Source Type: research