This is the text extract for Expressions of interest for promotion of Responsible Use of Pharmaceuticals, browse documents here.

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TO: FAX NO: FROM:

All consulted parties

Level 1, Old Bank Chambers

Auto Rachel Wilson Manager, Demand Side

Customhouse Quay P O Box 10-254, Wellington NEW ZEALAND Phone 64 4 460 4990 Fax 64 4 460 4995

SUBJECT:

Invitation for “Expressions of Interest” for the promotion of the responsible use of pharmaceuticals Wednesday, 13 March 2002 5 (including this page)

DATE: NO. OF PAGES:

This facsimile message contains information that is confidential and which may be subject to legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, you must not peruse, use, disseminate, distribute or copy this message. If you have received this message in error, please notify us immediately by facsimile or telephone (call us collect) and return the original message to us by mail. Thank you.

Dear All Invitation for “Expressions of Interest” for the promotion of the responsible use of pharmaceuticals One of PHARMAC’s functions is to “promote the responsible use of pharmaceuticals” (section 48 (d) o the New Zealand Public Health and Disability Act 2000). PHARMAC is currently f inviting external parties to provide expressions of interest (EOI) to provide services to promote the responsible use of pharmaceuticals for implementation from October 2002. Some of the services are to be provided to non-IPA / PHO clinicians and other health professionals, others should be available for wider distribution. Services will need to be linked to other related activities being undertaken in the sector by organizations such as the Ministry of Health, DHBs, IPAs and PHOs. Following the EOI, PHARMAC will send out a Request for Proposal (RFP) to parties who PHARMAC considers met the evaluation criteria specified in the EOI. The attached invitation for “Expressions of Interest” for the promotion of the responsible use of pharmaceuticals includes: • The reason for issuing an invitation for “Expressions of Interest” (EOI) for the promotion of the responsible use of pharmaceuticals. • Key aspects PHARMAC has identified that need to be considered as part of the provision of these services. • The specific services PHARMAC would like to purchase. • An indicative timeline for the EOI and RFP process. • Specific organizational details which all respondents must provide. • Criteria that will be used to evaluate the EOI responses. The services detailed in the EOI are designed to support and complement PHARMAC Demand Side initiatives. PHARMAC also seeks suggestions from external parties regarding other possible services that may be appropriate. If you have any questions about the EOI, please contact Rachel

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Wilson, Manager Demand Side, PHARMAC, (tel) 04 460 4971, (fax) 04 460 4995, (email) rachel.wilson@pharmac.govt.nz Yours sincerely

Wayne McNee Chief Executive

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Invitation for ‘Expressions of Interest’ for the promotion of the responsible use of pharmaceuticals. One of PHARMAC’s functions is to “promote the responsible use of pharmaceuticals” (section 48 (d) of the New Zealand Public Health and Disability Act 2000). PHARMAC contracts with external agencies to deliver specified services to clinicians, other health professionals and patients. The type of services PHARMAC currently purchases from these agencies includes facilitation services, educational programmes in specific therapeutic areas (including various tools such as patient orientated evidence, patient support material, case studies and bulletins), data analysis and provision of prescribing reports to clinicians and IPAs / PHOs. PHARMAC is inviting external parties to provide expressions of interest (EOI) to provide services to promote the responsible use of pharmaceuticals for implementation in late 2002. Some of the services are to be provided to non-IPA / PHO clinicians and other health professionals, others should be available for wider distribution. The specific services and appropriate audiences are identified below. Services will need to be linked to other related activities being undertaken in the sector by organizations such as the Ministry of Health, DHBs, IPAs and PHOs. Following the EOI, PHARMAC will send out an RFP to parties who PHARMAC considers meet the evaluation criteria specified in the EOI (note: the EOI evaluation criteria are attached to this document). Ideally respondents will be able to meet most of the evaluation criteria, or provide examples of how they would envisage meeting the criteria. Any agreement reached would be subject to consultation and PHARMAC Board approval. In terms of purchasing services PHARMAC has identified some key aspects that need to be considered. They are: • Any activity needs to be aligned with key health sector strategic documents, for example the NZ Health Strategy and the Primary Health Strategy. Activities also need to be aligned to PHARMAC activities including Demand Side initiatives, and PHARMAC’s Maori Responsiveness strategy. Any referred service activity would need to be coordinated with other sector activity, such as activities undertaken by PHARMAC, PHOs/ IPAs, DHBs and the Ministry of Health to maximise outcomes and minimise duplication. Clinicians should have access to “best practice” tools, whether they belong to an IPA/PHO or are not IPA/PHO aligned. There is a need to coordinate the delivery of, and engagement in, best practice messages to other health professionals within the sector such as specialists in secondary care, midwives, nurse prescribers and pharmacists. This is particularly important with the advent of DHBs and their responsibility for total health care in their geographic areas. Any contract would require the inclusion of clearly defined evaluation criteria including output and outcome measurements (in terms of fiscal management and/or health outcomes) using agreed methodologies. An understanding that the services operate under the umbrella of PHARMAC’s function of “promoting the responsible use of pharmaceuticals” of which cost effective, evidence based best practice is a core component.

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Contracting should be for a period of three years with an annual agreement provisional upon PHARMAC receiving funding and the service provider/s meeting contractual requirements.

As a result of an independent evaluation of current service provision and a review of international literature, PHARMAC has identified specific services it wishes to purchase. PHARMAC also seeks suggestions from external parties regarding other possible services that may be appropriate. The services PHARMAC would want to purchase from a service agency or agencies to promote the responsible use of pharmaceuticals include: • Face to face facilitation for clinicians not receiving facilitation from other services, for example IPAs or PHOs, or for any IPA or PHO that may wish to contract for it from their own budget. Prescribing feedback for clinicians not receiving facilitation from other services, for example IPAs or PHOs, or for any IPA or PHO that may wish to contract for it from their own budget. Targeting of pharmaceutical outliers in the groups detailed above i.e. those prescribers who have prescribing analysis results significantly different from that of their peers. Small group meetings / CME meetings / Peer group meetings. Disease management tools, such as Case Studies. Clinical audit development. Prescribing information – both in abridged form for quick reference and in a more detailed form. Secondary care promotion of the responsible use of medicines. Patient-centric information (i.e. clinical information with a patient oriented focus). Patient support material (leaflets etc). Linking with related educ ational services. For example, working with IPA/PHO facilitators regarding training and support material. Working with other stakeholders to ensure the integration of “best practice” tools in electronic format such as PMS software. Working with stakeholders to remove barriers that reduce access to pharmaceuticals available on the Pharmaceutical Schedule.

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PHARMAC seeks responses from external parties interested in providing these services and/or any other services not identified that may be appropriate to promote the responsible use of pharmaceuticals. PHARMAC may communicate with external parties at any stage in relation to their EOI. PHARMAC reserves its right to make adjustments to its proposed process at any stage. These services aim to promote the responsible use of pharmaceuticals, influence prescribing behaviour in specific areas (targeting both outliers and aiming to shift the mean), assist in delivering cost effective evidence based best practice messages, and would be coordinated with other related activities in the sector. All of these activities are designed to support and complement PHARMAC Demand Side initiatives. An indicative timeline for the process is as follows.

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Responses to the invitation for ‘Expressions of Interest’ for the promotion of the responsible use of pharmaceuticals should be received by 5pm on 5th April 2002. The responses to the EOI will be considered by the PHARMAC Board at its meeting of 24th April 2002. PHARMAC intends to issue a ‘Request for Proposal (RFP) on 1st May 2002 to parties who PHARMAC considers met the evaluation criteria specified in the EOI. Agreed criteria would be used to evaluate the EOI responses (as attached). It is intended that the deadline for submissions for the RFP would be 5pm on 17th June 2002. The PHARMAC Board would consider the RFP’s at its meeting in July 2002. PHARMAC would negotiate with the preferred supplier or suppliers with the intention of implementing the contract on 1 October 2002 or as mutually agreed. Any agreement reached would be subject to consultation and board approval. The name of the entity / organisation; A contact person; The types of service the entity currently provides; Current or anticipated staffing levels and expertise; Previous experience with same/similar types of services described in the invitation; Any suggestions about services that could be included in the RFP other than those identified in the initiation; and Any other comments that may be useful when PHARMAC is developing its RFP.

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All respondents must specify:

It is envisaged that responses would be approximately 15 pages or less, but this is indicative only. References should also be provided. Please direct any correspondence or questions to Rachel Wilson, Manager Demand Side, PHARMAC, (tel) 04 460 4971, (fax) 04 460 4995, (email) rachel.wilson@pharmac.govt.nz Yours sincerely

Wayne McNee Chie f Executive

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Criteria for evaluating responses to the invitation for ‘Expressions of Interest’ (EOI) for the promotion of the responsible use of pharmaceuticals. The following criteria have been developed to evaluate the EOI responses received from external parties. To assist in evaluating the responses, PHARMAC would appreciate evidence or examples of previous work undertaken which meet the criteria, or where such work has not been undertaken previously, examples of how you would envisage undertaking such work. • • • • Knowledge of the subject area and international and national trends. Relevant expertise and background in pharmaceuticals, pharmaceutical data analysis, and education of health professionals and consumers. Prior experience. Evidence of ability to plan and implement a campaign promoting the responsible use of pharmaceuticals. Please provide an outline of how the organization would undertake a campaign promoting “dyspepsia management” as an example. Evaluation processes developed to determine programme effectiveness. Collaboration with key stakeholders and academic/university departments. Existing facilitation services or an ability to initiate facilitation services in a short timeframe. Evidence of a supporting organizational infrastructure to help facilitate the delivery of the specified services detailed in the EOI.

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Please direct any questions regarding the evaluation criteria to Rachel Wilson, Manager Demand Side (details above).

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