GOVERNANCE & DEVELOPMENT

Australasian Neonatal Medicines Formulary

ANMF is a collection of treatment protocols for neonates developed by multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals specialised in neonatal care. Aiming to improve patient outcomes and reduce treatment variation, ANMF provides evidence-based information to support clinicians in the delivery of treatments available at the time decisions are being made. The developed protocols are available online and as a hard copy for site specific use.

We strive to improve short and long term health outcomes of newborn infants by supporting clinicians to deliver evidence-based treatment and care.

Right drug, right patient, right indication, right dose, right way

Medication is everyone’s business.

  • To provide leadership in the choice of treatment.
  • To provide guidance for prescription, preparation and administration of medicines used in neonatal practice.
  • To reduce unwarranted clinical variation.
  • To provide access to accurate information for clinicians to support patient care and decision making.
  • To provide a learning opportunity using best available evidence.
  • To review and generate new evidence to improve patient outcomes.
  • Steering Group: Steering Group is chaired by Dr Srinivas Bolisetty. Members of the steering group include: Dr Srinivas Bolisetty (Chair), A/Prof David Osborn, Dr Ian Callander, Dr Nilkant Phad, Dr Himanshu Popat, Ms Eszter Jozsa, Mr Jing Xiao, Ms Cindy Chen and Ms Michelle Jenkins.
  • Steering Group is responsible for successful running of the project by going through a step-wise process of (1) identification of medications requiring a consensus formulary, (2) development of an evidence based but yet pragmatic paper based and electronic formulary pertinent to Australasian region, (3) collaboration with participating facilities to achieve a majority consensus, (4) implementation of formulary in the clinical area, (5) feedback and evaluation following implementation and addition and revision if required, (6) regular review of formularies.Reference Groups: There are a number of Reference groups with specific roles and responsibilities.
  • Reference groups review and debate the information at regular formal meetings. Consensus must be reached before content approved and published on the site. This ensures the content's currency, validity and integrity. Content is then reviewed periodically every 1 to 5 years according to ANMF review process. Current reference groups are:
    • Evidence Review Reference Group – Chaired by A/Prof David Osborn
    • Digital Transformation Reference Group – Chaired by Dr Ian Callander
    • Pharmacy Review Reference Group – Co-chaired by Cindy Chen and Michelle Jenkins
    • Nursing Review Reference Group – Chaired by Ms Eszter Jozsa
    • Formulary Implementation Surveillance Group – Chaired by Dr Nilkant Phad
    • Infectious Diseases Reference Group – Chaired by Dr Brendan McMullan
    • Specialist Review Reference Group – As required.

Australian Neonatal Medicine Formulary (ANMF) is run by frontline clinicians volunteering their own time and resources for this project. The project is supported and endorsed by the Clinical Excellence Commission, NSW Health and the Australian and New Zealand Neonatal Network (ANZNN). ANMF does not receive sponsorship from any commercial or pharmaceutical industry, nor does it use advertising from any source.

All clinicians participating in ANMF reference committee activities are practising medical, nursing and pharmacist professionals working without a conflict of interest. This ensures ANMF maintains editorial independence across all of its processes, and all content is presented free from bias.

The development of content for ANMF follows a strict data governance process. ANMF protocols are based upon the best and most comprehensive evidence available at the time they are developed, and follow the NHMRC hierarchy of levels of evidence and grades for recommendations guide wherever applicable.

NHMRC Evidence Hierarchy table:
https://www.mja.com.au/sites/default/files/NHMRC.levels.of.evidence.2008-09.pdf

  • Protocols based on Level I and II evidence will be eligible for consideration as an ANMF ‘standard evidence’ protocol.
  • Protocols based on Level III-1, III-2, III-3 and IV evidence will in general be considered as an ANMF ‘limited evidence’ protocol.

The ANMF medication protocols are being used at the point of care within the clinical information systems in the neonatal healthcare units.

The progress of the development of a protocol is tracked by using a series of categories. For more information about this process, please contact Dr Srinivas Bolisetty.