The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) launches the first online formulary for non-drug interventions, the Handbook of Non-Drug Interventions (HANDI), making non-drug interventions easier to find and use for Australian GPs and health professionals.
The launch of HANDI at GP13, held in Darwin on 17–19 October, is a momentous development that ensures GPs have access to non-drug interventions that have been proven to be effective by high quality research.
Dr Liz Marles, RACGP President, said offering GPs a comprehensive choice of interventions for a patient that include non-drug options is important in providing inclusive patient care.
“There is an overreliance of healthcare professionals resorting to drug-based treatments as a first point of call when non-drug alternatives that are just as effective, preferred by patients, and often without the side effects commonly associated with medications are underutilised due to limited access to relevant information.
“Offering a greater choice of interventions to a patient who may wish to avoid pharmacotherapy and the risks and life styles often associated with drug treatment regimes is becoming more paramount in healthcare delivery,” said Dr Marles.
Bupa Health Foundation spokesman, Dr Paul Bates said, "We know that a lot of patients prefer to try different ways of managing their medical conditions that don't require taking medications, or they simply want to do as much as they can without the assistance of pharmacy.
“We are proud that the Bupa Health Foundation's support of this initiative means that, for the first time, the medical community will be able to access a reliable resource developed by the RACGP which can help them to guide their patients to access non-drug interventions to manage their health.
“While pharmaceutical drugs will always have a vital role in treatment, ultimately this initiative means that patients can understand which non-drug therapies are effective and evidence-based."
Dr Liz Marles said, “The development of HANDI will also contribute to a reduction in the cost of providing healthcare by substituting effective non-drug interventions for some common drug treatments.”
The development of HANDI is made possible through funding from Bupa Foundation and support provided by the Jack Brockoff Foundation.
GPs and other health professionals can access HANDI free of charge.