In Practice: Update on medicine shortages reforms

This week’s round-up also includes a new My Health Record resource, and a request for GP feedback to help inform an update to the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA) manual.
 
Medicine shortages reforms
The Therapeutic Goods Act 1989 (the Act) was recently amended to allow easier continued patient access to important medicines that are no longer included in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG).
 
The changes include expanded powers to import and supply important discontinued medicines under section 19A of the Act, which allow the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) to approve the import and supply of overseas registered medicines where it is in the interest of public health.
 
Health professionals who would like to prescribe or dispense a medicine that has been cancelled from the ARTG can find information about current approvals, including where to order, by visiting the TGA website and selecting the status ‘current’ in the menu on the left-hand side.
 
RCPA Manual update
GP feedback is being sought on the current RCPA Manual, including how it could be improved, ahead of a planned update.
 
The manual supports a search for pathology tests based on either the pathology test name or the clinical problem, and the next edition is set to be made available as a mobile app, in addition to traditional access via the RCPA website.  
 
My Health Record in general practice
My Health Record (MHR) is becoming increasingly popular and valuable for both healthcare providers and consumers.
 
With a growing number of connections to the MHR system, a significant amount of key health information is being uploaded by public and private hospitals, pharmacists and GPs as well as pathology labs and specialists.

The RACGP’s new My Health Record in general practice resource, developed in collaboration with the Australian Digital Health Agency, is GPs’ one-stop-shop for becoming familiar with MHR and understanding how to make the most of the information it contains.
 
The resource contains information on:

• how to start using MHR in your practice
• the types of clinical information that can be uploaded to and/or found in a patient’s MHR
• patient controls
• a guide for patients on how they can use their MHR, and much more.

Medicines shortages My Health Record pathology