Latest progress and achievements with the eMedicines programme

November 2011

The latest progress and achievements in the eMedicines area include: 

• the health sector now has an up-to-date, trusted and commonly used repository of information about medicines, with the recent general release of the New Zealand Universal List of Medicines (NZULM). NZULM is a dictionary of medicines that contains non-clinical terms. Having a consistent dictionary of terms prevents potentially harmful mix-ups
• a supplier has also been chosen to develop a New Zealand Medicines Formulary. The formulary will provide concise, independent, evidence-based medicines information and guidance on best practice for clinicians
• electronic medicines reconciliation has been implemented at Counties Manukau, Waitemata and Taranaki DHBs
• more practices and vendors in the community setting are being included in the trial and evaluation of the New Zealand e-Prescription Service
• the draft evaluation of a hospital based electronic prescribing pilot in Southern DHB has found a significant reduction in medication errors.