Western Victorian prescribers and dispensers are encouraged to familiarise themselves with electronic prescriptions which are now being implemented across Australia.
What is electronic prescribing
Electronic prescribing – or e-prescribing – provides clinicians and their patients with the option of using digital technology for electronic Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) prescriptions.
Electronic prescriptions are not mandatory and paper prescriptions are still available. In addition, patients can still choose which pharmacy they attend to fill out their prescription.
How it works
The Australian Digital Health Agency (ADHA) describes electronic prescribing as:
“the process by which a prescription is electronically generated by a prescriber, securely transmitted to a prescription delivery service for dispensing and supply, downloaded by a supplier, integrated into the dispensing software and (where applicable) available to be electronically sent to Department of Human Services for PBS claiming purposes. An electronic prescription is an electronic clinical document that contains all information relating to an order to supply medicine to an individual and is a legally dispensable instruction.”
More on setting up electronic prescriptions is available from the ADHA website
Resources
- HealthPathways Electronic Prescribing
- Australian Digital Health Agency – Electronic prescriptions
- Services Australia – Information for pharmacists on claiming online for PBS medicines
More information
Contact Western Victoria PHN’s Digital Health Team: