E-script system gets Guild nod

Simone Roberts

The Pharmacy Guild of Australia announced its support for the model, called ScriptX, at APP2008. The system allows doctors to send scripts to a fully encrypted electronic mailbox, allowing patients to retrieve the medication at their pharmacy of choice.

"ScriptX will improve the safety and efficiency of prescribing in Australia, with the aim of more effective medicine management and better health outcomes for patients. It also maintains patient choice and privacy, while streamlining the prescription process," said Kos Sclavos, Guild president.

Initially, paper prescriptions will be issued alongside the e-prescription until the Guild and other health professionals are confident the system works. At that stage the Guild will approach government about phasing out paper-based prescribing, Mr Sclavos said.

He said one of the most important aspects of the electronic system was that it stored scripts in a central repository for retrieval at a pharmacy the patient chooses, rather than the "point-to-point" structure used in the US and UK, which can lead to a channelling of prescriptions.

"The [point-to-point] model leads to kickbacks paid to prescribers to ensure prescriptions reach the 'right' pharmacy. As late as three weeks ago the KPMG paper commissioned by the Department of Health and Ageing had still listed the 'point-topoint' model as an option in their issues paper," he said.

Medicare Australia chief executive officer, Catherine Argall, said she was keen to work with the Guild on the system, and that Medicare could act as the central repository.

"A central repository residing externally to Medicare Australia may lead to public concerns regarding the security of data. Using Medicare Australia in the structure could [assure] consumers and providers that their personal information is stored in a trusted store," she said.

The Guild has prepurchased 10 million transactions on ScriptX for its members. The system is based on a pharmacy user-pays system, although federal government support will be sought in the long term. The system is free for doctors.

ScriptX is a joint venture between three health IT vendors: Health Communication Network, Corum Health and Fred Health. All medical and pharmacy software vendors will be able to use the system, to be launched by March 2009.