National standard medication charts
A major initiative to improve the safe use of medicines is the national standardisation of medicines management documentation in hospitals through medication charts. The charts support the delivery of appropriate care for hospitalised patients to help communicate information consistently between clinicians on the intended use of medicines for an individual patient.
Advice on use of national inpatient medication charts
The charts are based on the best evidence available at the time of development. Healthcare professionals are advised to use clinical discretion and consideration of the circumstances for individual patients when using the charts for patient medication management in acute care settings.
National standard medication charts resources
The Commission maintains a suite of national standard medication charts, both paper and electronic.
Current national standard medication charts
- Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme hospital medication chart (PBS HMC) – acute and long stay
- National inpatient medication charts (NIMC)
- National subcutaneous insulin chart
- National residential medication chart (NRMC)
- Clozapine titration chart.
The PBS HMC and NIMC also have a section on venous thromboembolism (VTE) prevention.
The NIMC Local Management Guidelines provide detailed guidance on the scope of changes to the NIMC that can be authorised at local levels (such as state and territory, private health service chain or local hospital network, and individual health service organisation).