Medicines Data Repository Implementation Guide, published by Te Whatu Ora. This guide is not an authorized publication; it is the continuous build for version 0.1.0 built by the FHIR (HL7® FHIR® Standard) CI Build. This version is based on the current content of https://github.com/HL7NZ/mdr/ and changes regularly. See the Directory of published versions

Business Context

MDR Business Context

The need for timely, accurate and comprehensive individual medicines data is a prerequisite for empowering individuals to better manage their own wellbeing, appropriate medical treatment of individuals to ensure better individual outcomes, efficient and effective medication management, and reduced medication errors.

Previously, medicines data was held in multiple systems across the continuum of care and is not easily accessible to health professionals to optimise medical treatment to patients. Access to medicines data coupled with the need to better understand an individual’s medication journey justify the development of a trusted, easily accessible source of medicines data from across the community and hospital settings.

Access to medicines data also assists in identifying areas for improvement and inefficiencies, such as patterns of irregular doses (under or over prescribing), and deviations from current national and international guidelines, which improves quality of patient care.

Problems the MDR Addresses

The health sector and individuals have been unable to easily access comprehensive, accurate individual medicines information across the care continuum to deliver better patient outcomes, provide efficient and effective medication management and reduce medication related errors.

• Health professionals:
  • in the community did not have easy access to or must go through a complicated process to access an individual’s medications history from hospital admissions, which is essential to provide appropriate treatment and reduce the risk of medication errors. They have relied on a hospital discharge summary sent by the hospital which may or may not be available at the time of treatment.
  • in hospitals did not have easy and timely access to comprehensive medicines information from the community care settings for an individual, to begin effective medical treatment. This can lead to medical diagnosis based on limited knowledge of an individual’s current and historical medical history. did not have access to comprehensive medicines information like allergies, history of adverse drug reactions and potential risk factors that may prevent prescription misuse.
  • did not have access to medical information contained in consumer apps that an individual may be using. This information may include dispensing information of any over-the-counter medicines, self-administration and other relevant personal information that may be useful to provide efficient and effective medication management and improved patient experience.
• Individuals and/or their carer/s:
  • had limited access to view only a small portion of their medicines information through consumer apps/portals like Manage my Health.
  • were unable to view and interact with their own medicines information therefore limiting the opportunity to share up-to-date and relevant information required to provide effective medication management.
• Supply chain, policy and research agencies had limited access to essential medicines information from NZ’s public health system to formulate effective strategies, make better information available for decision making as well as to facilitate data insights and intelligence.