Purpose: To investigate trends in SGLT2i and GLP-1RA use in Australia in the era of increased evidence of their cardiovascular benefits. Methods: We used national dispensing claims for a 10% random sample of Australians to estimate the number of prevalent and new users (no dispensing in the prior year) of SGLT2i or GLP-1RA per month from January 2014 to July 2022. We assessed prescriber specialty and prior use of other antidiabetic and cardiovascular medicines as a proxy for evidence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and cardiovascular conditions, respectively. Results: We found a large increase in the number of prevalent users (216-fold for SGLT2i; 11-fold for GLP-1RA); in July 2022 approximately 250,000 Australians were dispensed SGLT2i and 120,000 GLP-1RA. Most new users of SGLT2i or GLP-1RA had evidence of both T2D and cardiovascular conditions, although from 2022 onwards, approximately one in five new users of SGLT2i did not have T2D. The proportion of new users initiating SGLT2i by cardiologists increased after 2021, reaching 10.0% of initiations in July 2022. Among new users with evidence of cardiovascular conditions, empagliflozin was the most commonly prescribed SGLT2i, while dulaglutide or semaglutide was the most common GLP-1RA. Conclusion: SGLT2i and GLP-1RA use is increasing in Australia, particularly in populations with higher cardiovascular risk. The increased use of SGLT2i among people without evidence of T2D suggests that best-evidence medicines are adopted in Australia across specialties, aligning with new evidence and expanding indications.

Previous research has indicated that raw meats are frequently contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus, but data regarding the pooled prevalence rates of S. aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) contamination in different types of raw meat products (beef, chicken, and pork) and across different periods, regions, and purchase locations remain inconsistent. We systematically searched the PubMed, EMBASE, Ovid, Web of Science, and HighWire databases to identify studies published up to June 2016. The STROBE guidelines were used to assess the quality of the 39 studies included in this meta-analysis. We observed no significant differences in the pooled prevalence rates of S. aureus and MRSA contamination identified in various raw meat products, with overall pooled prevalence rates of 29.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 22.8 to 35.9%) and 3.2% (95% CI, 1.8 to 4.9%) identified for the two contaminants, respectively. In the subgroup analyses, the prevalence of S. aureus contamination in chicken...

Background: Mobile health (mHealth) apps are increasingly being used to capture patient health data, provide information, and guide self-management, with reported improvements in health care service delivery and outcomes. However, the impact of integrating mHealth app data into electronic medical record or electronic health record (EMR/EHR) systems remains underexplored. Objective: This study aims to identify what is known about the impact of integrating mHealth app data into EMR/EHR systems on health care delivery and patient outcomes. Methods: A scoping review was conducted to identify original studies that investigated the integration of patient-facing mHealth app data into EMR/EHR systems and the impact on health care outcomes. The PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, ProQuest, and PsycINFO databases were searched for papers published between January 2014 and July 2024. Two authors independently screened and extracted data on study characteristics, mHealth app features, details of integration with EMR/EHR systems, and effects on health care delivery and patient outcomes. Results: Nineteen studies with 113,135 participants were included. Among these, 6 were randomized clinical trial studies, 8 were conducted in the United States, 12 occurred in hospital settings, 15 involved adult participants, and 6 targeted diabetes management. Main features of the apps and EMR/EHR systems can be categorized into tracking or recording health data (n=19), app data integrated into EMR/EHR systems (n=19), app data summarized or presented on EMR/EHR interface (n=19), communication with the health care team (n=12), reminders or alerts (n=10), synchronization with other apps or devices (n=8), educational information (n=4), and using existing portal credentials to app access (n=2). Most studies reported benefits of integrating the app and EMR/EHR, such as enhanced patient education and self-management (n=5), real-time data recorded and shared with clinicians (n=4), support for clinical decision-making (n=3), improved communication between patients and clinicians (n=7), and improved patient outcomes (n=13). Challenges identified included high drop-off rates in app usage (n=3), limited accessibility due to device restrictions (n=3), incompatibility between mHealth apps and EMR/EHR systems (n=3), increased clinical workload in response to additional information (n=3), data accuracy issues due to network connectivity (n=1), and data security concerns (n=1). Conclusions: Evidence suggests that the effective integration of mHealth app data into EMR/EHR systems can enhance both clinicians’ health care delivery and patients’ health outcomes. However, current literature is limited, and future opportunities remain to examine the impact on long-term outcomes, such as mortality, readmissions, and costs, and assess the scalability and sustainability of integration among more broader health conditions and disabilities across diverse health care settings.

There is increasing use of multi-disciplinary teams (MDT) to increase the quality of and access to primary care. For example, the promotion of MDTs in primary care is one of four recent major policy recommendations in Australia. This review sought to understand the impact of MDT on the quality of primary care, including continuity of care, and the enablers and barriers to implementation. A scoping review was undertaken of peer-reviewed journal articles published between 1 January 2014 and 13 August 2024. It is registered at OSF: DOI:10.17605/OSF.IO/23QYU. A search of PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, CINAHL, PAIS, Web of Science, PsycINFO, and Scopus databases yielded 1603 records or 770 articles after duplicates were removed; 75 full-texts were reviewed and 27 studies met the inclusion criteria. The search was repeated for the period 13 August 2024 to 13 August 2025, which yielded a further 282 records after duplicates were removed; 19 full-texts were reviewed and an additional 12 papers met the inclusion criteria reflecting the increasing interest in MDT-care in primary care reforms. Data extracted from the 39 papers in scope included the characteristics of MDT care reported, the outcomes observed, and the enablers and barriers to implementation. A socio-ecological model was used to examine the system, organisational, professional and patient level factors that enabled MDT-care in general practice. Data showed the models of MDT-care varied substantially. They ranged from multiple providers working together to care for a patient, to interprofessional teams providing patients the option to see an alternative provider. Analysis showed mixed outcomes from MDTs in primary care, driven by contextual, policy, organisational, professional and patient factors. In some cases, MDT strengthened the management of chronic disease. In other cases, MDT reduced continuity of care by fragmenting relational continuity. MDT care also impacted access to care, comprehensiveness of care, and coordination of care-in some cases positively, and other cases negatively. While there may be common preconditions at the systems, organisational, professional and patient level, effective MDT-care was likely to be goal and context specific. The introduction of MDTs will require careful planning and implementation to ensure that the potential benefits of MDT are realised and that it does not compromise the quality of primary care. The International Centre for Future Health Systems is supported by funding from The Ian Potter Foundation.