There are four indicator domains that include a total of 28 indicators. These indicators have been designed to be completed quarterly and to align with existing RCH auditing activities such as the Commonwealth of Australia’s National Aged Care Mandatory Quality Indicator Program (NQIP)². These indicators could assist RCHs to provide evidence with respect to:

• compliance with the Guiding Principles in a specific quarter and over time,
• meeting relevant Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards³,
• identifying areas for potential quality improvement activities that increase adherence to the Guiding Principles, and
• evaluating the impact of implemented quality improvement strategies that aim to improve adherence to the Guiding Principles.

Each of the four indicator domains include a suite of resources to support their use. They are based on the NSW TAG-designed format used for other quality use of medicines indicators that have had long-standing use in Australian hospitals.⁴ These resources are:

• Indicator specification documents that provide key definitions for each indicator,
• Data collection tools (DCTs) that measure performance of various medication-related activities described in the indicators, and
• Video- Understanding the Data Collection Tools for the MEGA-MAC Indicators –link

Click on each MEGA-MAC Indicator below for specifications, data collection tools and further information:

• MEGA-MAC INDICATOR 1: The Medication Advisory Committee Meeting
• MEGA-MAC INDICATOR 2: Policies, Procedures and Guidelines
• MEGA_MAC INDICATOR 3: Admission Processes
• MEGA-MAC INDICATOR 4: Medication Review

The MEGA-MAC indicators were developed as part of Monash University’s Maximising Embedded Pharmacists in AGed CAre Medication Advisory Committees (MEGA-MAC) trial. The MEGA-MAC project is funded by the Commonwealth of Australia’s 2022 Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) Quality, Safety and Effectiveness of Medicine Use by Pharmacists grant. NSW TAG led the development of the indicators in consultation with Monash University and an expert steering group.

The MEGA-MAC indicators and accompanying data collection tools are an output of the Monash University-led MEGA-MAC project and are freely available for use under the Creative Commons Licence: Non Commercial CC BY-NC-ND.

Further information about the MEGA-MAC trial can be found at the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry

For all enquiries about the MEGA-MAC indicators, please contact NSW TAG (nswtag@stvincents.com.au) and Monash University (Amanda.Cross@monash.edu).

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the MEGA-MAC QI Expert Steering Group, MEGA-MAC Pharmacists and Nursing QI Feasibility Advisory Group, MEGA-MAC Chief Investigators and MEGA-MAC project partners.

Recommended citation

NSW Therapeutics Advisory Group and Monash University. Medication Management Indicators for Residential Aged Care Homes, 2025. NSW TAG and Monash University, Australia,.

References

1. Guiding Principles for Medication Management in Residential Aged Care Facilities. Commonwealth of Australia, Dept of Health and Aged Care; 2022. Accessed July 1, 2024. https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/guiding-principles-for-medication-management-in-residential-aged-care-facilities?language=en
2. National Aged Care Mandatory Quality Indicator Program (QI Program). Commonwealth of Australia, Dept of Health and Aged Care; 2022. Accessed July 1, 2024. health.gov.au/initiatives-and-programs/national-aged-care-mandatory-quality-indicator-program-qi-program
3. Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards (draft). Commonwealth of Australia, Dept of Health and Aged Care; 2025. Accessed 29 March, 2025. https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/strengthened-aged-care-quality-standards-february-2025?language=en
4. Using the National QUM Indicators for Australian Hospitals. Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care and NSW Therapeutic Advisory Group Inc. (2014), National Quality Use of Medicines

Page last updated: 18 August 2025