Getting a ‘better picture’ of patient health

The app, available to both Android and iOS devices, is also capable of keeping track of more than one person’s medicines list, a feature that may be particularly handy for parents and carers of older family members.

NPS MedicineWise clinical advisor, Dr Philippa Binns, says the app may especially assist those who use three or more prescriptions, over the counter or complementary medicines every day.

“We know that keeping a medicines list is an important part of being ‘medicine wise’ and preventing medicines mistakes, but according to our recent survey of people aged 65 years or older or their carers, only 55% of older Australians keep a list of their medicines while 30% have no way of keeping track of them at all, which is not ideal,” Dr Binns explains.

Of those people who do keep a medicines list, almost all keep track of their prescription medicines but only 60% list their over the counter medicines, and just 55% list their complementary medicines.

More than half of the people who keep a medicines list claim they do not update it every time they stop or start a new medicine, and only 48% say they would take their list with them every time they visited a health professional.

“The new app can make it easier for patients to list all the medicines they’re taking, keep the list up to date, and have the information on hand when they visit any health professional,” Dr Binns says.

It may also assist health professionals in becoming aware what is happening with their patients’ health outside of their care, and fill the gaps around the medicines health professionals don’t know they are using — especially complementary medicines.

Top six features of MedicineList+

• Generate a handy list of medicines which patients can email, print or save for sharing with family members, carers or health professionals.
• Scan the barcode from the medicine’s packaging to enter it straight into the medicines list, or enter details manually.
• Create multiple user profiles, each with personal details – great for helping family members to manage their medicines.
• Set a reminder for individual medicine doses or for general medicine reminders, e.g. the next due dose of a vaccine.
• Record medical test data, e.g. blood pressure, weight, height and INR, and graph these over time.
• Add free text and notes, for example store details of health professionals, and create notes and general health reminders including allergies and emergency contacts.

Individual medicines list data is stored locally on the app, and no data is shared with NPS MedicineWise or publicly.

To find out more and to download the apps for Android phones and devices and for Apple phones and devices go to www.nps.org.au/medicinelist-plus

NPS MedicineWise is an independent, not for profit and evidence based organisation which informs and educates health professionals and consumers on decisions about medicines and medical tests.