This appeared last week:
Stay of execution for image-based prescribing
The Department of Health has extended the deadline for image-based prescribing arrangements to 31 December 2021.
Originally 30 September, this revised deadline supports the ongoing need, especially in locked down states, for remote prescribing in the absence of electronic prescribing capability in some major practice management software (PMS) vendors.
Dr Charlotte Hespe, a Sydney general practitioner, said the transition to electronic prescriptions was straightforward for GPs.
“Most practice management software now has the capability to issue electronic prescriptions. The GP just needs to select the electronic script option instead of ‘print’ when issuing a prescription,” said Dr Hespe.
Unfortunately, it’s not so straightforward for most non-GP specialists, whose software is not currently ePrescribing compliant. And it potentially leaves them with no remote prescribing capabilities when imaged-based prescribing ends.
Image-based prescribing was temporarily introduced last year, along with telehealth changes, as part of the Australian government’s covid national health plan. It was scheduled to wrap-up in March 2021 with the intention that electronic prescribing would take its place.
In the context of lockdowns earlier in the year, the Department of Health extended the deadline to 30 September. According to a department spokesperson this was to allow more time for health professionals to get on board. However, it appears it’s not health professionals that need a nudge so much as their software vendors.
Despite a concerted push by the Australian Digital Health Authority (ADHA) some major practice management software vendors still don’t offer ePrescribing, including those used by over 65% of specialists.
Doctors can see if their practice management software can issue eScripts on the ADHA electronic prescribing register of conformance.
More here:
https://medicalrepublic.com.au/stay-of-execution-for-image-based-prescribing/53516
This all seems to drag on a little and I reckon, at the present rate of adoption and use, I looks like 2023 or so will be when we see 50% of prescribing electronic. As always time will tell!
David.
Please refer to this quote below David's masthead:
ReplyDeleteH. L. Mencken - "For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong."
The problems with technology are often about what it does, what it doesn't do and how it handles exceptions (an exception is usually a result of a lack of understanding of all the use cases).
The problem was perceived to involve be Gps only. Many other people can write a prescription - specialists, hospitals, dentists, psychologists etc etc.
Introducing a new solution only rarely means you can ditch all the existing solutions. More often it means that another alternative is introduced, thus complicating the solution space.
But the ADHA wouldn't know anything about that, they are only concerned with solutions.