Access to current, and up to date, medication specific clinical information and decision support tools is critical for safe and effective medication management.

Grampians Health Ballarat will provide access to medication decision support tools at the point of care for the clinical workforce with medication management responsibilities.

Medication decision support tools: any functionality or resource that provides guidance or incorporates knowledge that specifically assist clinicians to make the most appropriate clinical decisions when prescribing, dispensing and administering medications. Some examples include policies, procedures, guidelines and textbooks.

Hardcopy References

It is expected that all clinical areas at Grampians Health Ballarat will have access to current editions of the following medication decision support tools;

All Clinical Areas

-         Australian Injectable Drug Handbook**

-         Australian Don't Rush to Crush Handbook**

Paediatric Clinical Areas

-         AMH Childrens Dosing Companion**

-         Royal Childrens Hospital Paediatric Injectable Guidelines

** Note: these references are also available online through the Library website, and the online version may be utilised in place of a hard copy.

These references should be located in an area where the workforce participating in medication management can readily access this information.

The library manager will order and charge relevant cost centres (who request hardcopy versions) when new editions of the Australian Injectable Drug Handbook and Australian Don't Rush to Crush Handbook become available. When new editions become available, the library manager will ensure that all relevant clinical areas receive the new edition and remove the previous edition.

Where the NUM (or equivalent) believes it is appropriate, other hard copy references can be made available within their clinical area by purchasing resources through the Grampians Health Ballarat Library Manager.

The NUM (or equivalent) is responsible for ensuring these hard copies are kept current (with the old copies removed when a new edition is released). MIMS Abbreviated may be retained for up to 12 months after its release date. Staff must be made aware that MIMS Abbreviated contains abridged information and the full version of MIMS online should be consulted for full product information.

Electronic Resources

Electronic references are available to the Grampians Health Ballarat workforce via the library website, with hard copies of nominated references (MIMS Annual, Australian Medicines Handbook, Australian Don't Rush to Crush Handbook, Australian Injectable Drug Handbook, Therapeutic Guidelines selected editions per site) available in the Patient Flow Coordinator/After Hours Coordinators office in case of computer failure. The Clinicians Health Channel current contract mostly controls which resources are available.

It is the responsibility of Library and IT services, in consultation with the Clinicians Health Channel, to ensure that the electronic medication references remain current and accessible.

To access these electronic resources, login to the Grampians Health Ballarat network

1.     Open the Grampians Health Ballarat Sharepoint page by clicking on Google Chrome icon found on the desktop of all Grampians Health Ballarat computers

2.     Click on the Library link on Grampians Health Ballarat intranet home page

3.     All electronic medication decision support tools will be located under the heading Drug Resources

Electronic resources should not be printed and kept. All printed versions are assumed to be out of date.

Grampians Health Ballarat policies, procedures and drug guidelines are available electronically via the Governance Documentation system.

Decision support opportunities should be evaluated within electronic medication management systems. These should be activated where appropriate.

The use of other medication decision support tools (hardcopy or online) not directly provided by Grampians Health Ballarat is at the discretion of the individual clinician.

Training
The Grampians Health Ballarat Library Department offers training on the electronic resources available.

Auditing
The Library Department will audit clinical areas 12 to 24 monthly to ensure that only current mandatory and ward managed references are available.