MIMs is a drug reference system for Australian Healthcare Professionals. Zedmed's Drugs module integrates with MIMs to provide a comprehensive list of drugs when prescribing.
Searching by drug or brand name
To search for a drug in MIMs:
- Use the Prescribe New Drug tab with MIMS Search selected.
- Type the drug or brand name into the Search for field and select Find.
Searching by generic drug name
If you search using a generic name, e.g. Sertraline, a comprehensive list of options will display, including the various generic strengths and forms, and all available brand variants. The line items marked with a blue (G) are active ingredients, as opposed to brands, and can be selected directly (by double-clicking that line) to open the prescribing window for that variant.
Searching by brand name
The generic item can be expanded to show the available brand options for that particular variant (strength, form and quantity), and you can select (double-click) a specific brand, e.g. Zoloft, to open the prescribing window for that brand. If appropriate, you can also tick Include Brand on Script.
You can also search for the brand name, eg. Zoloft, to only show the brand options with the various generic strengths and forms.
Active ingredient considerations
When prescribing some high-risk medicines and for patients at high risk or medical complications, there are circumstances where it may be preferable to include the brand name. This is mainly to avoid miscommunication between clinicians, to prevent selection error, and to ensure accuracy when interpreting and dispensing the prescription. Zedmed will provide a prompt to include the brand on the prescription.
Regardless of the search and selection method, the prescription output will display the Active Ingredient. The example below is a prescription for the brand Zoloft without 'include brand' ticked.
The Australian government does provide mandates and guidance for Active Ingredient Prescribing, and the linked PDF covers the background and reasoning behind this approach to prescribing.
Active ingredient prescribing guide for Australian Health Practitioners.
Using favourites
Zedmed's Drugs module provides a Favourites List that each practitioner can add drugs to and use for all patients. This feature allows the practitioner to easily select their choice of drug (brand or generic) along with predefined dosage information.
To add a favourite:
- Search for then select the drug and open the Script Details screen.
- Select dosage information if you want that information to be saved as well.
- Select the Add Favourite button.
When prescribing, select the Favourites List, and double-click the drug to open Script Details and prescribe.
