About the Quality Use of Diagnostics, Therapeutics and Pathology

About the program

The Quality Use of Diagnostics, Therapeutics and Pathology (QUDTP) program aims to improve the way medicines and medical tests are prescribed and used. 

We support the quality use of medicines and medical tests by facilitating: 

• cross-sector collaboration and partnerships 
• data collection and information sharing 
• education on best practices for prescribers, dispensers and consumers. 

These actions are guided by the National Medicines Policy (NMP) and National Strategy for Quality Use of Medicines (NSQUM).

Quality use of medicines and medical tests

The quality use of medicines and medical tests involves:

• selecting the appropriate management option when treating illness and maintaining health
• using medicines safely and effectively by
  • monitoring outcomes 
  • minimising misuse, overuse and underuse
  • improving people’s ability to solve problems with their medication, such as negative side effects or managing multiple medications
• choosing the most suitable medicines by considering
  • the individual
  • the clinical condition
  • the risks and benefits
  • the dosage and length of treatment
  • any coexisting conditions
  • other therapies
  • monitoring considerations
  • costs for the individual, the community and the health system as a whole
• recognising that non-medicinal approaches to manage many disorders may result in better health outcomes.

Goals

The program aims to:

• improve the use of health technologies for Australian consumers and health professionals, including
  • therapeutics
  • diagnostics
  • pathology.
• improve post-market surveillance to
  • inform how medicines are being used in the real world
  • support quality improvement activities
  • inform future research and policy
• facilitate free access to information
• promote best-practice behaviours among prescribers, dispensers and health consumers
• support the effectiveness and efficiency of the health system
• provide evidence-based information and education to Australian health professionals and consumers
• improve the sustainability of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS), reducing low-value care and misuse of medicines.

Governance

We are responsible for program reporting, policy development, delivery of a package of program activities and evaluation.

The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC) is the steward of Quality Use of Medicines in Australia and delivers program activities.

The ACSQHC: 

• provides quality use of medicines stewardship
• drives collective impact by supporting and facilitating collaboration
• finds synergies across the Australian health system
• raises awareness of quality use of medicines 
• fosters a culture that promotes the principles of the NSQUM.

See the ACSQHC website for more about these key program activities.

Who we work with

We work with a wide range of stakeholders, including:

• Commonwealth departments and agencies
• state and territory governments and departments
• industry agencies
• education providers
• national peak organisations for consumers, people and health professions.

Key program activities

We support program activities through grant opportunities and service procurement for health professional education and consumer health literacy. This includes grant activities for the:

• Health Professional Education stream
• Consumer Health Literacy stream
• Quality Use of Pathology stream.

Additional program-funded activities include:

• Australian Prescriber – an independent peer-reviewed journal providing critical commentary on drugs and therapeutics for health professionals, currently published by Therapeutic Guidelines.
• Medicines Line 1300 MEDICINE – information on prescription, over-the-counter and other medicines. Registered pharmacists answer calls. The service is available Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm AEST (closed on NSW public holidays).
• National Prescribing Competencies Framework (NPCF) – it describes the competencies and expectations for appropriate, safe and effective prescribing across relevant healthcare professions. The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency is currently reviewing the NPCF.
• National Prescribing Curriculum – a series of interactive case-based modules that encourage confident and rational prescribing.
• The National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) – it delivers projects aimed at addressing the quality use of medicines priorities and challenges for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. These projects will support safe medicine storage, meaningful discussions on traditional medicines use, and support the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation workforce to engage in medicine discussions.

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