Education

EPiC is a free, data-driven tool that enables users to explore individual, practice and national prescribing behaviours. Insights from EPiC data can help users to consider their practice and inform targeted interventions or quality improvement initiatives.

To help you get the most out of the EPiC prescribing dashboard, we've formed the EPiC data club. Both prescribers and non-prescribers can join the free data club meetings, where we'll take you on a guided tour to fully explore the dashboard data and reflection activities. You can choose to sign up as an individual or as a practice team. Our next data club is Wednesday 17 August, 6:00pm-7:00pm.

This guide highlights the different features in EPiC, helping you to navigate through the dashboard. Our case study provides an example of how EPiC can be used to carry out quality improvement activities. 

View online or click the print-ready version.

The antihypertensive medicine Accuretic (quinapril in combination with hydrochlorothiazide), is being withdrawn. Prescribers are advised to change all patients taking Accuretic to alternative medicine(s) when their next monthly prescription is due. Read our article for dose equivalence tables and information on switching, monitoring, co-payments and consultation fees.
 

Although triple therapy can reduce the risk of recurrent CVD events by at least 50 per cent over five years, the He Ako Hiringa EPiC dashboard indicates only half of people receive all three types of medicines following a CVD event. Read our latest bulletin for more on triple therapy and team-based initiatives that may help identify and prioritise patients for intensive management.

With recent funding changes to adalimumab, prescribers are being urged to change patients from Humira (the reference biological) to Amgevita (a biosimilar). We’ve collated this list of questions and answers, with links to other useful resources, to help inform your conversations with colleagues and patients.

FOCUS magazine showcases a selection of our original resources. You can use the educational content featured in FOCUS to identify and reduce barriers that prevent people from accessing the medicines they need.

Explore your prescribing further with EPiC Reflect CVD. This activity helps you to delve into your EPiC data, contemplate your prescribing, reflect on your current practice, and set goals and actions. Available as an editable PDF document, EPiC Reflect helps you to incorporate your learning into your everyday practice.

Managers within healthcare provider services are vital to leading activity that promotes achieving equity of outcomes. Genuine management guidance is crucial to reduce bias and improve the health experience for individuals, whānau, and our communities.

Molnupiravir (Lagevrio) is an oral antiviral for treating patients with COVID-19 in the community.

Access criteria are the same as for nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (Paxlovid). Molnupiravir should only be used where nirmatrelvir/ritonavir is clinically inappropriate, as trial data suggest molnupiravir is much less effective. Read our article for details.

Explore your prescribing further with EPiC Reflect Annual Report. This activity helps you to delve into your EPiC data, contemplate your prescribing, reflect on your current practice, and set goals and actions. Available as an editable PDF document, EPiC Reflect helps you to incorporate your learning into your everyday practice.

Nirmatrelvir with ritonavir (Paxlovid), a new oral antiviral medicine for adults with COVID-19, is now available for community use. In people at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19, treatment with Paxlovid has been shown to reduce the incidence of hospitalisation or death. However, for certain patients it will not be safe or appropriate to use Paxlovid. Prescriptions must be endorsed to confirm patients meet Pharmac access criteria.