Closing the Evidence-Practice Gap in Medication Prescribing for Complex Chronic Conditions – Implementing a Clinical Decision Support System for Medication in TKC: A Case Study

Globally, there is evidence of practice gaps in medication prescribing with significant patient health outcome impacts, particularly for patients with complex chronic conditions. In the Northern Territory (NT) of Australia, where there is a high burden of chronic conditions, there is a strong need to close the evidence practice gap in medication prescribing. This PhD research project is an empirical inquiry using a mixed-method approach based on real world evidence using Territory Kidney Care (TKC). TKC is an integrated data platform and clinical decision support system (CDSS) that consolidates patient information from various healthcare providers to facilitate integrated care across the NT. The research project will close the evidence-practice gap in medication prescribing by developing a rule-based medication recommender, focusing on medication
classes for people with chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes mellitus. The rule-based medication recommender will utilise clinical practice guidelines and be guided by clinical experts. Data collected from focus groups will guide the development of the recommender, inform validation activities, and help identify and quantify the extent to which the recommender addresses the evidence practice gaps in prescribing medication for patients in TKC. The proposed research project aims to reduce the worst clinical outcomes
related to inappropriate medication prescribing for patients with complex chronic conditions in the NT.