
Digital health - did you know? Electronic prescriptions are improving patient safety

Electronic prescriptions continue to provide Australians with convenient access to their medicines and improve safety by reducing the risk of transcription errors. Overall, over 225 million electronic prescriptions have been created to date which includes 95 million created by doctors and 129 million created by pharmacies (repeats).
The electronic prescribing initiative continues to evolve and improve. For patients taking multiple medications, the Active Script List (ASL) is a solution that provides further convenience and flexibility, streamlining electronic prescription management.
Previously an individual could only register for an ASL at a pharmacy. However now, general practice software may offer this functionality to allow prescribers to register individuals for an ASL. By talking to your patients about registering for an ASL, you can help them use electronic prescriptions, removing the need for them to manage multiple tokens on their mobile device. Once they have an ASL, any electronic prescription created is automatically added to their ASL (unless the patient asks the prescriber/dispenser not to) and the patient does not need to present a token at the pharmacy to get their script filled.
For more information about electronic prescriptions and ASL visit the Agency’s webpage on Electronic prescribing for prescribers.
Access the CPD accredited free online learning training for prescribers, Electronic prescriptions and Active Script List in your Practice.
02 July 2024