Major Multilex DDF update to support CfH requirements

First Databank Europe (FDBE) has completed a major upgrade to its Multilex Drug Data File (Multilex DDF) to include integration of SNOMED-CT and the NHS Dictionary of Medicines and Devices (NHS dm+d).

FDBE says the new release is designed to support customers in meeting NHS Connecting for Health (CfH) requirements, including the National Care Records Service and the Electronic Prescription Service.

The update will be available from the end of the month (July) as part of FDBE’s standard product offerings which are focused on providing clinical decision support to practitioners in a variety of healthcare settings.

David Flavell, managing director of FDBE, said: "Multilex DDF is widely used by GPs, hospitals and community pharmacies and plays a major role in preventing medication errors. This product release demonstrates that FDBE is at the forefront of developments in the clinical decision support arena, and we have invested a significant amount of time, resource and expertise to ensure that Multilex DDF meets CfH requirements."

FDBE says it has also re-modelled a number of decision support modules in their software so that they offer more focused and better quality alert messages. Flavell said: "The new decision support functionality is an element of our ongoing strategy to improve our alert messages, thereby enabling safer prescribing and dispensing."

FDBE was selected to provide the NHS dm+d implementation guide in March this year. The dictionary is the key dictionary containing unique identifiers and associated textual descriptions for medicines and medical devices.

The Multilex Drug Data File is the UK’s most widely used drug knowledge base, according to FDBE. It can be integrated into a variety of clinical systems in hospitals, community pharmacies, GP practices and other healthcare environments.