Electronic prescribing is being implemented in general practices and community pharmacies across Australia through a managed approach of testing and continuous improvement across a growing number of electronic prescribing Communities of Interest (COI) according to the Australian Digital Health Agency.
“Given the current COVID-19 crisis in Victoria and the challenges being faced by community pharmacists, doctors and their patients, we are working with clinical peak bodies and software developers to increase the adoption of electronic prescribing nationally, starting with a broadscale rollout across the greater Melbourne area (within the Stage 4 lockdown areas) and then expanding this across Victoria." The Australian Digital Health Agency says.
Communication between local pharmacies and local practices is critical - to ensure both are ready to rollout electronic prescriptions. The functionality is now available in Best Practice, Medical Director and Zedmed and Members interested in getting started should contact their software vendor. Other COIs outside of Victoria have been established and can be found here.
More information is available on the ACRRM website and a webinar about doctor and pharmacy experiences with the new technology is open for registrations.
Other Related Information
All medicines, including Schedule 8 and 4D medicines, can be prescribed and dispensed with conformant software through an electronic prescription, providing patients with a safe and secure way of obtaining medicines remotely. The electronic prescription is the legal order to supply so there is no requirement to send any paper form to the pharmacy for medicines including Schedule 8 and 4D medicines to be supplied to patients.
Patient Choice
It’s important to remember that patients can still choose to have a paper prescription and their choice to have their prescription dispensed at their preferred local pharmacy must remain. It is also currently possible for prescribers to create a digital image of paper scripts, except for Schedule 8 and 4D medicines, and provide this to the patient’s preferred pharmacy under the temporary image-based medicine supply special arrangements.