Rx for Change

What is Rx for Change?

The Rx for Change database is an important resource for informing the choice of interventions aimed at changing health technology prescribing, practice and use.

It is a searchable database containing current research evidence about the effectiveness of medication-related intervention strategies aimed at all levels of the healthcare system, including consumers themselves. The Rx for Change database is organised according to the type of intervention (consumer, professional, organizational, financial, or regulatory) and can also be searched by key word. This enables summaries of a broad range of evidence to be made easily accessible to health planners and practitioners.

Who produces Rx for Change?

The Centre for Health Communication and Participation at La Trobe University produces the Rx for Change database in conjunction with the Cochrane Effective Practice and Organisation of Care (EPOC) Review Group at the University of Ottawa, Canada.

The Melbourne team focuses on interventions aimed at consumers, using a unique classification scheme developed for the purpose. EPOC concentrates on strategies aimed at professionals as well as financial, structural, and organizational strategies, using their own tailored system of classification.

The database is updated every eight months.

Rx for Change is funded by the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH), the Australian National Prescribing Service (NPS), Knowledge Translation Canada and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

Contacts

Rebecca Ryan
Research Fellow
Centre for Health Communication and Participation (on leave to May 2012)

T: +61 (0)3 9479 3274
F: +61 (0)3 9479 5977
Email: r.ryan@latrobe.edu.au

Dianne Lowe
Research Officer
Rx for Change

T: +61 (0)3 9479 3274
F: +61 (0)3 9479 5977
Email: d.lowe@latrobe.edu.au

Publications and presentations

  • Ryan RE, Weir M, Leslie B, Worswick J, Lowe DB, Hill SJ. Evidence on Optimal Prescribing and Medicines Use for Decision Makers: Scope and Application of the Rx for Change Database. Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research 2011, 41(4): 295-9
  • Ryan R, Santesso N, Hill S, Lowe D, Kaufman C, Grimshaw J. Consumer-oriented interventions for evidence-based prescribing and medicines use: an overview of systematic reviews. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2011, Issue 5.
  • Weir M, Ryan R, Mayhew A, et al. The Rx for Change Database: A first-in-class tool for optimal prescribing and medicines use Implementation Science 2010, 5:89 doi:10.1186/1748-5908-5-89.
  • Lowe D, Ryan R, Santesso N, Hill S, Grimshaw J. Assembling, evaluating and presenting the evidence on interventions directed to consumers to improve medicines use (Poster session 4: Sustainability). Presented at: National Medicines Symposium 26-28 May 2010, Melbourne.
  • Ryan R, Lowe D, Santesso N, Hill S. Development of a taxonomy of interventions directed at consumers to promote evidence-based prescribing and medicines use: a tool for evidence-based decision-making (Poster session 3: Safe and effective use). Presented at: National Medicines Symposium 26-28 May 2010, Melbourne.
  • Lowe D, Ryan R, Santesso N, Hill S. Development of a taxonomy of interventions to organise the evidence on consumers' medicines use. Patient Education and Counseling 2010.
  • Santesso N, Hill S, Ryan R, Grimshaw J. Summarising and presenting evidence for prescribing and drug use consumer interventions. 15th Cochrane Colloquium. Sao Paulo, Brazil. October, 2007.
  • Santesso N, Stevens A, Mayhew A, et al. Cochrane Inside: Working with national agency to create tools for decision makers. 15th Cochrane Colloquium. Sao Paulo, Brazil. October, 2007.
  • Hill S, Ryan R, Santesso N, et al. Identifying, assessing, summarising and presenting evidence for prescribing and drug use interventions directed to consumers. Poster presentation. Guidelines International Network, 4th annual conference, August 2007, Toronto.
  • Stevens A, Santesso N, Ryan R, et al. Interventions to Facilitate Evidence-based Prescribing and Drug Use: Evidence to Inform Policy Making. Panel presentation, CADTH Symposium, April, 2007, Ottawa.
  • Stevens A, Santesso N (presenter), Ryan R, et al. Interventions to Facilitate Evidence-based Prescribing and Drug Use: Evidence to Inform Policy Making. Part II: Interventions directed to consumers for drug use. Panel presentation, CADTH Symposium, April, 2007, Ottawa.
  • Santesso N, Ryan R, Hill S, Grimshaw J. A Taxonomy of Interventions Directed at Consumers to Promote Evidence-Based Prescribing and Drug Use: A Tool for Evidence-Based Decision-Making. Poster presentation, CADTH Symposium, April, 2007, Ottawa.

External resources