MedicalDirector has made Active Ingredient Prescribing available in its Helix and Clinical 4.0 packages, from November, 2020, to support changes to prescribing legislation in Australia.  
 
These software upgrades are critically important, as from 1 February, 2021, a prescription that does not comply with Active Ingredient Prescribing legislation will not be valid for PBS/RPBS subsidy.  
 
Active Ingredient Prescribing became law in 2019, and by 1 February, 2021, it will be mandatory to include active ingredients on most PBS and RPBS prescriptions. The new law mandates that such prescriptions will now list only the active ingredient(s) of each medication unless the prescriber specifies that the brand name should be included as well.  
 
Active Ingredient Prescribing will help reduce the cost of medicines, mitigate risk of medication errors and increase health literacy amongst patients. However, education is essential for both patients and healthcare professionals to ensure a smooth transition and avoid potential risks to patient safety.  
 
Chief Executive Officer, Matthew Bardsley, believes that it’s crucial that practices are supported through these changes.  
 
“We understand the immense pressure it puts on practices, particularly in a pandemic, to upgrade software, become familiar with new legislation and update clinical workflows. We have prioritised Active Ingredient Prescribing so that we can continue to support the critical work of doctors and healthcare professionals in Australia”, he said.  
 
MedicalDirector has proven itself to be a consistently fast-mover in primary healthcare innovation, with the introduction of integrated telehealth capability, the recent launch of its care planning tool, MedicalDirector Care, and now as the first major EMR provider to-market for Active Ingredient Prescribing.  
 
Further helpful resources can be found at www.medicaldirector.com.  
 
About MedicalDirector
 
MedicalDirector is a leading primary healthcare technology company that for over 25 years has provided innovative, proprietary software solutions that help General Practice (GP) and specialist medical practices deliver care to their patients. Our software platform integrates seamlessly to enable faster and more collaborative workflows in medical practices and connectivity into the broader healthcare system.

Approximately 20,000 clinicians use MedicalDirector to manage and deliver 80+ million patient consultations per year, across small and large medical practices. Key software features include practice management, clinical health records, medical billing, reporting, referral management and patient engagement.

Today, MedicalDirector is a first-mover in innovative, cloud-based healthcare software through Helix, and in delivering customisable solutions for medical professionals in Australia and now in the United Kingdom. The comprehensive suite of solutions utilises the latest tools and technologies to simplify workflows and enable interoperability across healthcare systems. With MedicalDirector, medical practices can manage higher patient volumes, improving productivity and providing doctors the flexibility to deliver care anytime, anywhere on any device.