The Australian electronic prescribing ecosystem has evolved significantly over the last decade. From the introduction barcodes for paper prescriptions, Real Time Prescription Monitoring, token-based electronic prescriptions, and all the way to the new My Script List functionality in Bp Premier Orchid SP1, the positive innovation has been continuous.
At its core, electronic prescribing in all its forms aims to benefit patients, prescribers, and dispensers alike. Just some of the many ways that this is achieved is through reductions in errors, and improvements in efficiency for prescribing and dispensing medicines, and by providing more modern and secure options for patients to better manage their prescriptions.
The National Prescription Delivery Service Is Available Now
In May this year, the Department of Health and Aged Care announced that Fred IT’s eRx Script Exchange (eRx) was engaged as the single provider for the National Prescription Delivery Service (NPDS). The intention of moving to a single NPDS is to provide streamlined prescription delivery management, and to continue to keep the transfers of prescription information cost-neutral for prescribers and practices, pharmacists, and patients alike into the future.
The NPDS commenced on 1st July 2023, and the deadline of 30th September 2023 for prescribers in your practice to connect to this is rapidly approaching.
What Does the National PDS Mean for my Practice?
To continue prescribing PBS medications, all prescribers in your practice must be registered with eRx Script Exchange, and be configured to use eRx in Bp Premier before the 30th September 2023 deadline.
This advice applies to all prescriptions created in Bp Premier, whether they be:
- A traditional paper-based prescription that contains a barcode,
- An end-to-end electronic prescription sent as a QR code via the Best Health App, an SMS or email to your patient, or printed as a paper token.
If prescribers in your practice are yet to register for eRx, you can begin the process today by visiting this website.
It’s also vital that you install the upgrade to Bp Premier Orchid SP1 in time for the 30th September deadline. The new NPDS also includes ongoing funding for providing electronic prescriptions to patients via SMS delivery, with the current funding arrangements set to cease alongside the deadline.
Orchid SP1 contains the necessary changes to switch to this new funding arrangement, so ensure that you upgrade before 30th September to continue to offer SMS delivery of electronic prescriptions at no cost. From 1st October onwards, if you’ve not upgraded to Orchid SP1, each SMS for an electronic prescription will be charged at 4c, and will be deducted from your Bp Comms balance.
What are my next steps?
To be prepared for the 30th September deadline, you should complete the following steps:
- Register all prescribers in your clinic with eRx as soon as possible,
- Configure all prescribers to use eRx in Bp Premier,
- Upgrade to Orchid SP1 to avoid fees for sending electronic prescriptions via SMS.
For More Information
Help, and any further information that you may require is available.
You can access the Bp Premier Knowledge Base at any time by clicking Help, then Online, or by hitting the F1 shortcut key. Simply search for the keyword ‘eRx’ and you’ll find detailed instructions on configuring each of your prescribers in Bp Premier to use eRx, or search ‘upgrade’ to find instructions on installing the upgrade to Orchid SP1. Bp’s Support team are also available to assist on 1300 401 111.
For questions around the NPDS in general, the transition process and timeframe, or anything further in relation to this topic, you can reach the Department of Health and Aged Care directly via EPtransitions@health.gov.au for assistance.
Authored by:
Lais Miyasava
Training & Deployment Specialist at Best Practice Software
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