National Guidelines for On-Screen Display of Medicines Information
The Commission, with the Australian Digital Health Agency and the Australian Government Department of Health, has developed guidelines to standardise the presentation of on-screen medicines information. The aim was to ensure benefit from investments in e-health initiatives and to maximise patient safety.
Standardised presentation of electronic information about medicines
The National Guidelines for On-Screen Display of Medicines Information provide an evidence-based approach to on-screen presentation of medicines information. They:
- Incorporate Australia’s National Tall Man Lettering List
- Build on Australia’s Recommendations for Terminology, Abbreviations and Symbols Used in Medicines Documentation.
The guidelines are based on the best evidence available at the time of development and were endorsed by the Australian Health Ministers’ Advisory Council in December 2017.
Resources for on-screen medicines information
The guidelines combine the clinical and consumer guidelines previously published in two parts, the National Guidelines for On-Screen Display of Clinical Medicines Information and National Guidelines for On-Screen Display of Consumer Medicines Information.
The National Guidelines for On-Screen Display of Clinical Medicines Information (January 2016) were widely consulted and a heuristic evaluation established best practice for issues that could not be elucidated from evidence or experience. Final report – Partial task analysis and heuristic evaluation for on-screen display of medicines (PDF 975KB) (Word 227KB)
The National Guidelines for On-Screen Display of Consumer Medicines Information addendum (October 2016) contain important exceptions and additions to reflect the needs of consumers when accessing electronic information about their medicines.