What is medicines management?
Pharmacy is the healthcare profession that has the responsibility for ensuring the safe, effective and rational use of medicines, and, consequently, plays a vital role in the delivery of healthcare worldwide. Read more
Why do medicines need managing and who is involved?
Medicines play an important part in promoting well being, preventing ill health and managing disease. Over 700 million prescription items are dispensed in England each year at a total cost approaching £8 billion (Prescription Pricing Authority. Read more
Integrated Medicines Management (IMM) In Northern Ireland
It is essential that a holistic approach is taken to medicines management, rather than the present, fragmented, sector-specific system. In Northern Ireland, an Integrated Medicines Management (IMM) project was undertaken. This project achieved significant patient benefits, including reduced length of stay in hospital, reduced re-admission rate, a more accurate medicine history and an improved discharge process. Read more
www.stepselect.com a Medicines Management Tool
It is important to take into account that medicines management needs both a clinical and a pharmaceutical foundation. Thus from that perspective, the STEPS process was developed in Northern Ireland, the Safe Therapeutic Economic Pharmaceutical Selection method. Read more
References
Claire Scullin PhD,Michael G. Scott PhD,Anita Hogg BSc and James C. McElnay PhD. An innovative approach to integrated medicines management. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice 13 (2007) 781–788.
Christine Clark. Quality, safety and efficiency - Medicines management policy developments across Northern Ireland were discussed at a recent Northern Health and Social Care Trust conference. January 2008.
Scott M, Timoney M, Mairs J, Crealey G, Al Abaddi I, Brenninkmeijer R, Janknegt R, McElnay J. Matrix models and STEPS: concluding remarks. Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2007 Oct;8 Suppl 1:S65-7.
Scott M, Timoney M, Mairs J, Crealey G, Al Abaddi I, Brenninkmeijer R, Janknegt R, McElnay J. Safe Therapeutic Economic Pharmaceutical Selection (STEPS): development, introduction and use in Northern Ireland. Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2007 Oct;8 Suppl 1:S57-63.
Scott M, Janknegt R, Brenninkmeijer R. A prelude to the matrix models supplement. Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2007 Oct;8 Suppl 1:S1-4.