The Medical journal of Australia
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To determine antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) activities currently being undertaken at Victorian hospitals, identifying gaps when assessed against the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care criteria for effective AMS. ⋯ We identified wide differences between hospital AMS activities. Additional support for AMS is particularly required in the public regional and private hospital sectors, principally in the key areas of policy development, antimicrobial approval systems, prescription review and auditing. Further research is required to develop recommendations for implementation of AMS within the regional and private hospital settings.
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COAST (Chiropractic Observation and Analysis Study) aimed to describe the clinical practices of chiropractors in Victoria, Australia. ⋯ A range of conditions are managed by chiropractors in Victoria, Australia, but most commonly these conditions are musculoskeletal-related. These results can be used by stakeholders of the chiropractic profession in workforce development, education and health care policy.
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Many patients at the end of life receive care that is inappropriate or futile and, if given the opportunity to discuss their care preferences well ahead of death, may well have chosen to forgo such care. Advance care planning (ACP) is a process of making decisions about future health care for patients in consultation with clinicians, family members and important others, and to safeguard such decisions if patients were to lose decisional capacity. ⋯ For ACP to become part of mainstream patient-centred care, accountable clinicians working in primary care, hospitals and nursing homes must effectively educate colleagues and patients about the purpose and mechanics of ACP, mandate ACP for all eligible patients, document ACP in accessible formats that enable patient wishes to accurately guide clinical management, devise methods for reviewing ACP decisions when clinically appropriate, and evaluate congruence between expressed patient wishes and actual care received. Public awareness campaigns coupled with implementation of ACP programs sponsored by collaborations between hospital and health services, Medicare locals and residential care facilities will be needed in making system-wide ACP a reality.
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To determine levels of public awareness of consumer adverse drug reaction (ADR) reporting systems in Australia. ⋯ Consumers can contribute to our understanding of medicines safety, but there is low awareness of available reporting systems. Some consumers aware of ADR self-reporting systems appear prepared to use them, but promotion of and education on how to use reporting systems are required. Significant resources may be needed to support an enhanced consumer reporting scheme.