Publications 1998–2018

About NPS MedicineWise

Weekes, L. In Conversation – Lynn Weekes. Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research, 2018:48,578-580. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jppr.1506

Weekes L, Blogg S, Jackson S, Hosking K. NPS MedicineWise: 20 years of change. Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice, 2018;11:19. https://joppp.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40545-018-0145-y

Dartnell J, Heaney A, Kaye K, Zuo Y. NPS MedicineWise: a national approach to improving the quality of use of medicines. Brazilian Journal of Health Economics 2015;7(Suppl 1):3-5. http://files.bvs.br/upload/S/2175-2095/2015/v7nSupl1/a4767.pdf

Weekes LM, Mackson JM, Fitzgerald M, Phillips SR. National Prescribing Service: creating an implementation arm for national medicines policy. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 2005;59:112-6 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15606449

Consumers and QUM

Gaarslev C, Yee M, Chan G. Fletcher-Lartey S, Khan R. A mixed methods study to understand patient expectations for antibiotics for an upper respiratory tract infection. Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control 2016;5:39. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27777760

McCaffery KJ, Morony S, Muscat DM, Smith SK, Shepherd HL, Dhillon HM, Hayen A, Luxford K, Meshreky W, Comings J, Nutbeam D. Evaluation of an Australian health literacy training program for socially disadvantaged adults attending basic education classes: a study protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial. BMC Public Health 2016;16:454. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27233237

Weekes LM. Medicines and dementia consumer campaign. Medical Journal of Australia 2016;204(10):366. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27256643

Benetoli A, Chen TF, Spagnardi S, Beer T, Aslani P. Provision of a Medicines Information Service to consumers on Facebook: an Australian case study. Journal of Medical Internet Research 2015;17:e265. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26596328

Meshreky W, Weekes L, Atkins L. Bilingual pharmacists delivering community education seminars to culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) peoples. Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy 2014;10:e11. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sapharm.2014.07.034

Morgan T, Williamson M, Pirotta M, Stewart K, Myers S, Barnes J. A national census of medicines use: a 24-hour snapshot of Australians aged 50 years and older. Medical Journal of Australia 2012;196(1):50-3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22256935

Weekes LM, Davis J, Vaughan K, Kehoe L. Medicines information for consumers. Australian Pharmacist. 2006;36:91-2.

Health professionals and QUM

Antibiotics and infections

Wu J, Taylor D, Ovchinikova L, Heaney A, Morgan T, Dartnell J, Holbrook R, Humphreys L, Weekes L, Blogg S. Relationship between antimicrobial-resistance programs and antibiotic dispensing for upper respiratory tract infection: an analysis of Australian data between 2004 and 2015. Journal of International Medical Research 2018 [epub ahead of print]. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29332434

Del Mar C, Scott AM, Glasziou PP, Hoffmann T, van Driel M, Beller E, Phillips S Dartnell J. Reducing antibiotic prescribing in Australian general practice: time for a national strategy. Medical Journal of Australia 2017;207(9):401-6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29092694

Pont LG, Morgan TK, Williamson M, Haaijer FM, van Driel ML. Validity of prescribing indicators for assessing quality of antibiotic use in Australian general practice. International Journal of Pharmacy Practice 2017;25(1):66-74. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27774679

Fletcher-Lartey S, Yee M, Gaarslev C, Khan R. Why do general practitioners prescribe antibiotics for upper respiratory tract infections to meet patient expectations: A mixed methods study. British Medical Journal Open 2016;6(10):e012244. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27798010

Gaarslev C, Yee M, Chan G, Fletcher-Lartey S, Khan R. A mixed methods study to understand patient expectations for antibiotics for an upper respiratory tract infection. Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control 2016;5:39. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27777760

Gillies M, Ranakusuma A, Hoffmann T, Thorning S, McGuire T, Glasziou P, Del Mar C. Common harms from amoxicillin: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials for any indication. Canadian Medical Association Journal 2015;187(1):E21-31. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25404399

Earnshaw S, Mendez A, Monnet DL, Hicks L, Cruikshank M, Weekes L, Njoo H, Ross S. Global collaboration to encourage prudent antibiotic use. The Lancet Infectious Diseases 2013;13(12):1003-4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24252477

Hardy-Holbrook R, Aristidi S, Chandnani V, DeWindt D, Dinh K. Antibiotic resistance and prescribing in Australia: current attitudes and practice of GPs. Infection, Disease and Health 2013;18:147-51. http://www.idhjournal.com.au/article/S1835-5617(16)30057-6/fulltext

Wutzke SE, Artist MA, Kehoe LA, Fletcher M, Mackson JM, Weekes LM. Evaluation of a national programme to reduce inappropriate use of antibiotics for upper respiratory tract infections: effects on consumer awareness, beliefs, attitudes and behaviour in Australia. Health Promotion International 2007;22:53-64. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17046966

Patterson CA, Mackson JM, Weekes LM. Antibiotic prescribing for upper respiratory tract infections in primary care. Communicable Diseases Intelligence 2003;27 Suppl:S39-41. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12807272

Cardiovascular medicines

Anderson C, Arnolda L, Cowley D, Dowden J, Gabb G, Golledge J, Hankey G, Howes F, Leckie L, Mangoni A, Perkovic V, Schlaich M, Zwar N, Medley T, Wilson J, Branagan M. National Heart Foundation Hypertension Guideline – 2016. Heart, Lung and Circulation 2016;25(Suppl 1):S18.

Gunnell A, Nedkoff L, Hung J, Knuiman M, Gillies M, Ortiz M, Rankin J, Geelhoed E, Hobbs M, Katzenellenbogen J. Cardioprotective drugs dispensed after admission for myocardial infarction (MI) in a whole population cohort: Western Australian Medication Adherence and Costs in Heart disease study (WAMACH). Heart, Lung and Circulation 2015;24:S377-S378. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hlc.2015.06.618

Gunnell AS, Knuiman MW, Geelhoed E, Hobbs MST, Katzenellenbogen JM, Hung J, Rankin JM, Nedkoff L, Briffa TG, Ortiz M, Gillies M, Cordingley A, Messer M, Gardner C, Lopez D, Atkins E, Mai Q, Sanfilippo FM. Long-term use and cost-effectiveness of secondary prevention drugs for heart disease in Western Australian seniors (WAMACH): a study protocol. British Medical Journal Open 2014;4(9):e006258. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25234510

Gadzhanova SV, E Roughead EE, Bartlett MJ. Improving cardiovascular disease management in Australia: NPS MedicineWise. Medical Journal of Australia 2013;199(3):192-5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23909542

Mandryk J, Wai A, Mackson JM, Patterson C, Bhasale A, Weekes LM. Evaluating the impact of educational interventions on use of antithrombotics in Australia. Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety 2008;17:160-71. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18098333

O'Riordan S, Mackson J, Weekes L. Self-reported prescribing for hypertension in general practice. Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics 2008;33;483-8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18834362

Ostini R, Hegney D, Mackson JM, Williamson M, Tett SE. Why is the use of clopidogrel increasing rapidly in Australia? An exploration of geographical location, age, sex and cardiac stenting rates as possible influences on clopidogrel use. Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety 2008;17(11):1077-90. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18698666

Horn FE, Mandryk JA, Mackson JM, Wutzke SE, Weekes LM, Hyndman RJ. Measurement of changes in antihypertensive drug utilisation following primary care educational interventions. Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety 2007;16(3):297-308. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16634120

Buchan HH, Phillips SM, Weekes LM, Mackson JM, Boyden AN, Tonkin AM. Chronic heart failure: time to optimise methods of diagnosis in the community. Medical Journal of Australia 2006;184:423-4.

Other condition-specific medicines

Chidwick K, Kiss D, Gray R, Yoo J, Aufgang M, Zekry A. Insights into the management of chronic hepatitis C in primary care using MedicineInsight. Australian Journal of General Practice, 2018;47(9). https://www1.racgp.org.au/ajgp/2018/september/insights-into-the-management-of-chronic-hepatitis

Liu Z, Moorin R, Worthington J, Tofler G, Bartlett M, Khan R, Zuo Y. Using large‐scale linkage data to evaluate the effectiveness of a national educational program on antithrombotic prescribing and associated stroke prevention in primary care. Journal of the American Heart Association 2016;5(10):e003729. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27737875

Weekes LM. Diabetes Management - keeping up to date. Medical Journal of Australia 2016;205(7):288. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27681960

Khan R, Jammali-Blasi A, Todkar A, Heaney A. Using big data for an economic evaluation of reducing the inappropriate prescribing of atypical antipsychotics among dementia patients. Value in Health 2015;18:A257. http://www.valueinhealthjournal.com/article/S1098-3015(15)01557-0/fulltext

Weekes LM. Five reasons to not prescribe opioids. Medical Journal of Australia 2015;203(5):206. https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2015/203/5/five-reasons-not-prescribe-opioids

Weekes LM. Proton pump inhibitors: too much of a good thing. Medical Journal of Australia 2015:202(9):464. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25971558

Bosnic-Anticevich SZ, Stuart M, Mackson J, Cvetkovski B, Sainsbury E, Armour C, Mavritsakis S, Mendrela G, Travers-Mason P, Williamson M. Development and evaluation of an innovative model of inter-professional education focused on asthma medication use. BMC Medical Education 2014;14:72. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24708800

Gadzhanova S, Gillies M, Roughead E, Zuo Y. Fixed dose combination diabetes medicines: usage in the Australian veteran population. Australian Family Physician 2011;40(10):811-5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22003487

Gadzhanova S, Roughead EE, Loukas K, Vajda J. Improvement in metformin and insulin utilisation in the Australian veteran population associated with quality use of medicines intervention programs. Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety 2011;20(4):359-65. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21442685

Health professional education and quality improvement programs

Lindner R. Choosing Wisely Australia: changing behaviour in health care. Medical Journal of Australia 2018;208(3):105-106. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29438640

McIntosh KA, Maxwell DJ, Pulver LK, Horn F, Robertson MB, Kaye KI, Peterson GM, Dollman WB, Wai A, Tett SE. A quality improvement initiative to improve adherence to national guidelines for empiric management of community-acquired pneumonia in emergency departments. International Journal for Quality in Health Care 2011;23:142-50. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21131383

Pulver LK, Wai A, Maxwell DJ, Robertson MB, Riddell S. Implementation and evaluation of a multisite drug usage evaluation program across Australian hospitals - a quality improvement initiative. BMC Health Services Research 2011;11:206. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21871132

Sweidan M, Reeve J, Yu K. Death and morbidity from supratherapeutic dosing of colchicine [letter]. Medical Journal of Australia 2011;195(9):517. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22060083

Taylor D, Fen Loh S, Mulligan K, Pulver L, Thompson A, Wai A. Management of acute postoperative pain in Australian hospitals - room for improvement. Journal of the Australasian Association for Quality in Health Care 2010;Summer:30-6.

Pulver LK, Tett SE, Coombes J. The Queensland experience of participation in a national drug use evaluation project, Community-acquired pneumonia – towards improving outcomes nationally (CAPTION). BMC Pulmonary Medicine 2009;9:38. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2731033/

McIntosh KA. CAPTION (Community-Acquired Pneumonia): towards improving outcomes nationally project. Fiji Medical Journal 2005;24:31-4.

McIntosh KA, Jamshidi N, Maxwell DJ, Kaye KI, Easton KL, Stanton LA, et al. Optimising community-acquired pneumonia management. Fiji Medical Journal 2005;24:31-4.

Maxwell DJ, McIntosh KA, Pulver LK, Easton KL. Empiric management of community-acquired pneumonia in Australian emergency departments. Medical Journal of Australia 2005;183:520-4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16296965

Maxwell DJ, Easton KA. Community-acquired pneumonia. Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research 2004;34(3):212-7. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jppr2004343212

Online learning and eHealth initiatives

Peiris D, Williams C, Holbrook R, Linder R, Reeve, J, Das A, Maher C. A web-based clinical decision support tool for primary health care management of back pain: development and mixed methods evaluation. JMIR Research Protocols 2014;3(2):e17. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24694921

Thomas J, Koo M, Shakib S, Wu J, Khanal S. Impact of a compulsory final year medical student curriculum on junior doctor prescribing. Internal Medicine Journal 2014;44(2):156-60. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24528813

Yu K, Sweidan M, Williamson M. Drug interaction alerts – necessary but need improving? Australian Pharmacist 2012;13(1):70-1.

Reeve J, Sweidan M. Setting a standard for electronic prescribing systems. Australian Prescriber 2011;34(1):2-4. https://www.nps.org.au/australian-prescriber/articles/setting-a-standard-for-electronic-prescribing-systems

Robertson J, Moxey AJ, Newby DA, Gillies MB, Williamson M, Pearson SA. Electronic information and clinical decision support for prescribing: state of play in Australian general practice. Family Practice 2011;28(1):93-101. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21109619

Sweidan M, Reeve J, Dartnell J, Phillips S. Improving clinical decision support tools – challenges and a way forward. Australian Family Physician. 2011;40:561-2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21814648

Sweidan M, Williamson M, Reeve JF, Harvey K, O’Neill JA, Schattner P, Snowdon T. Evaluation of features to support safety and quality in general practice clinical software. BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making 2011;11:27. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3115840/

Yu K, Sweidan M, Williamson M, Fraser A. Drug interaction alerts in software — what do general practitioners and pharmacists want?. Medical Journal of Australia 2011;195:676-80. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22171864

Moxey A, Robertson J, Newby D, Hains I, Williamson M, Pearson S-A. Computerized clinical decision support for prescribing: provision does not guarantee uptake. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association 2010;17:25-33. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20064798

Robertson J, Walkom E, Pearson S-A, Hains I, Williamson M, Newby D. The impact of pharmacy computerised clinical decision support on prescribing, clinical and patient outcomes: a systematic review of the literature. International Journal of Pharmacy Practice 2010;18(2):69-87. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20441116

Sweidan M, Williamson M, Reeve JF, Harvey K, O'Neill JA, Schattner P, Snowdon T. Identification of features of electronic prescribing systems to support quality and safety in primary care using a modified Delphi process. BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making 2010;10:21. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20398294

Brien JE, Reeve J, Sweidan M, Jayasuriya P, Martin J. Drug interaction alerts in dispensing and prescribing software [letter]. Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research 2009;39:81-2.

Flanagan BM, Sweidan M, Reeve JF. Room for improvement in drug interaction alerts. Australian Pharmacist 2009;28:435.

Pearson SA, Moxey A, Robertson J, Hains I, Williamson M, Reeve J, Newby D. Do computerised clinical decision support systems for prescribing change practice? A systematic review of the literature (1990-2007). BMC Health Services Research 2009;9:154. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19715591

Sweidan M, Reeve JF, Dartnell JGA. Consider the content of drug-drug interaction alerts [letter]. Archives of Internal Medicine 2009;169:1338. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19636040

Sweidan M, Reeve JF, Brien JE, Jayasuriya P, Martin JH, Vernon GM. Quality of drug interaction alerts in prescribing and dispensing software. Medical Journal of Australia 2009;190:251-4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19296790

Reeve JF, Mackson JM, Sweidan M, Williamson M. The effect of advertising in clinical software on general practitioners’ prescribing behaviour [letter]. Medical Journal of Australia 2008;189:85. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18637774

Reeve JF, Tenni PC, Peterson GM. An electronic prompt in dispensing software to promote clinical interventions by community pharmacists: a randomized controlled trial. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 2008;65:377-85. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17764471

Sweidan M, Reeve JF. Deficiencies in drug interaction information [letter]. Medical Journal of Australia 2007;186:483. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17484715

Smith A, Tasioulas T, Cockayne N, Misan G, Walker G, Quick G. Construction and evaluation of a web-based interactive prescribing curriculum for senior medical students. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 2006;62:653-9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17118123

Liaw S-T, Kerr S. Computer aided prescribing: Decision support needs to be evidence based [letter]. British Medical Journal 2004;328:1566. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15217888

Ahearn MD, Kerr SJ. General practitioners' perceptions of the pharmaceutical decision-support tools in their prescribing software. Medical Journal of Australia 2003;179:34-7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12831382

Smith A, Tasioulas T. Education on prescribing can be improved. British Medical Journal 2002;325:776. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12364315

Research and evaluation methods

Beilby J, Wutzke SE, Bowman J, Mackson JM, Weekes LM. Evaluation of a national quality use of medicines service in Australia: an evolving model. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice 2006;12:202-17. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16579830

Mandryk JA, Mackson JM, Horn FE, Wutzke SE, Badcock C-A, Hyndman RJ, Weekes LM. Measuring change in prescription drug utilization in Australia. Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety 2006;15:477-84. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16700084

Publications 1998–2018

About NPS MedicineWise

Consumers and QUM

Health professionals and QUM

Antibiotics and infections

Cardiovascular medicines

Other condition-specific medicines

Other health professional QUM topics

Health professional education and quality improvement programs

Online learning and eHealth initiatives

Research and evaluation methods

Date published: 02 May 2018

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Publications 1998–2018

About NPS MedicineWise

Consumers and QUM

Health professionals and QUM

Antibiotics and infections

Cardiovascular medicines

Other condition-specific medicines

Other health professional QUM topics

Health professional education and quality improvement programs

Online learning and eHealth initiatives

Research and evaluation methods

Date published: 02 May 2018

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