The Jade SP3 release for Bp Premier is now available, which includes ePrescription functionality. However, by default, the functionality is turned off.
What’s included in Jade SP3:
- Fast tracked ePrescribing functionality
- National Immunisation Program changes as per 1 July 2020
- COVID-19 related improvements including:
- Additional fields in History and Examination tool
- Improved Medicare billing for COVID-19 related items and incentives
- COVID-19 at-risk Search utility script
Click here to review the Jade SP3 release notes.
As stated above, ePrescribing functionality is turned off by default once Jade SP3 is installed. In order to take advantage of the functionality, you will need to do ensure you’ve completed the following:
- Register with eRx and ensure that your providers are registered with eRx
- Download and install Jade SP3
- Download and install the ePrescribing utility. Enabling the functionality requires the utility to be downloaded, however, prior to downloading the utility, Practices will be prompted to acknowledge:
- eScripts are a legal form of prescription in all states except Queensland, where approval is currently pending
- The Practice has confirmed there are pharmacies near them that are ePrescription compatible, and the patient is aware they must select a participating pharmacy
- Bp Premier eScripts is currently only compatible with eRx Prescription Exchange Service (PES), therefore, to use Bp Premier eScripts, prescribing Doctor(s) need to be registered with eRx PES. MediSecure PES integration for ePrescriptions will be supported in a future Bp Premier release
- If an IT team member is installing the software, the Practice Doctors are aware of the above
- Review our free enablement materials and train your team:
- Recorded webinar: Introduction to Electronic Prescribing Masterclass (54 mins)
- Video: Introducing Electronic Prescribing to Practitioners (8 mins)
- Video: Introducing Electronic Prescribing to Patients (6 mins)
- Podcast: Resulting Q & A from Masterclass Webinar Series (25 mins)
- Step-by-step documentation in the Knowledge Base
In addition, the Australian Digital Health Agency has provided access to free eLearning courses at training.digitalhealth.gov.au.
The eLearning courses include three modules:
1. Introducing electronic prescriptions
2. Using electronic prescriptions
3. Preparing for electronic prescriptions
The courses have been accredited by the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, Royal Australasian College of Physicians and Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine. Practitioners completing the courses can claim CPD/PDP credits/points upon successful completion of each module.
Important information about Jade SP3 fast track and fully conformant ePrescribing:
The Department of Health initiative, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, required us to fast track a simplified version of ePrescribing in order to bring the functionality to market quickly, to safeguard the health of GPs, their staff and patients. Our Fast Track version of ePrescribing has been delivered in Jade SP3.
The government has set an end date of 30th September for Fast Tracked ePrescribing to cease operating. Software vendors who delivered Fast Tracked have been encouraged to have their Fully Conformant software version of ePrescribing available by this date. Our Fully Conformant version of ePrescribing will be delivered in our Saffron release. When the 30th of September is reached, ePrescribing in Jade SP3 will cease to work. Practices will need to upgrade to Saffron to continue using ePrescribing.
Cost of SMS eScripts:
As part of Fast Track ePrescribing, the government will cover the cost of eScript SMS messages. Once Full Conformance is achieved, the government will cease funding eScript SMS messages. Our Saffron release will utilise our Bp Comms functionality to send eScript SMS messages to the patient and the cost per message will be $0.04 per message.
An important note about our Prescription Exchange Services (PES) integration:
Best Practice Software has been working towards ePrescriptions with the two Prescription Exchange Service (PES) vendors, eRx and MediSecure, for close to a year. It is our expectation that both PES will be supported in due course, each solution requiring scoping, co-design, development by both parties, testing, conformance and certification. It is by no means a small undertaking.
We had to balance the government’s request to deliver the Fast Track ePrescribing solution, high end-user value and our own resource capacity, which meant we needed to focus on a functional solution with one PES before undertaking the second.
Our team made the decision to fast track the PES we were furthest ahead with, which was eRx. Working with the MediSecure PES remains a high priority and we anticipate having the functionality to send ePrescriptions via this platform in a future release.
eScripts are currently only available for use when both Jade SP3 and the utility are installed. This means that you can still install Jade SP3 without the utility and take advantage of the other improvements we have made in this release. It’s important to note that Jade SP3 without ePrescribing enabled does not restrict the Practice from using MediSecure.
A helpful resource for your Practice
To communicate the important information about this change amongst your Practice, you may wish to consider using the internal messaging function available within Bp Premier. This can be accessed anywhere in the system by opening the ‘Utilities’ menu and selecting ‘Messages’, or by simply clicking the F8 shortcut key. Any messages sent through this platform will display a notification within Bp Premier when the recipient next logs in.