Australia to Trial New Electronic Prescription Method in 2026

Electronic prescriptions will be trialled in primary care settings in Australia this year with a view to them becoming the standard method of prescribing medications.

This model will result in patients issued their scripts in person by their doctor or during telehealth consultation receiving the documentation by mobile or email.

Electronic prescribing by default replaces an earlier plan for mandatory electronic prescribing of high-cost and high-risk medications initially announced in 2023/24 Budget.

Electronic Prescription System Will Improve Efficiency

Electronic prescriptions are available nationally as a ‘token’ (via SMS or email) or can be added to an Active Script List (ASL). 

The ASL is a token management solution which securely stores electronic prescriptions, removing the need consumers to retain an SMS or email.

Healthcare providers and authorised pharmacists can access active prescriptions via the ASL if the consumer has given their consent for them to do so.

Paper prescriptions will still be available for individuals who do not have access to a mobile device or if clinical safety requires a paper version.

With same day medication delivery becoming more popular, as evidenced by the range of services on comparison platform Medicompare, the trial marks an important step for Australian healthcare.

The system will support more efficient processes for prescribing and dispensing medicines. It is also designed to reduce the risk of errors in prescribing and dispensing.

Electronic prescribing will also safeguard medical professionals by significantly reducing their exposure to infectious diseases by allowing contactless processes.

The trial will monitor any potential issues and make the necessary adjustments, before expanding the model across all healthcare settings when appropriate.

Telehealth Services Will Play a Key Role

Telehealth has already played a significant role in improving healthcare in Australia since it first sprang to prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It has helped to relieve the pressure on in-person medical facilities by providing diagnosis, treatment, preventive health services and more to patients.

One of the primary benefits of using digital healthcare services is speedy access to medication. However, paper prescriptions can be a barrier to this.

This issue is magnified for people who live in rural or remote locations, as they may need to travel long distances to attend an appointment with a medical professional.

Telehealth has taken this out of the equation for many patients, and the widespread introduction of electronic prescriptions will make the system even more efficient.

Several telehealth providers already offer speedy electronic prescriptions, delivering vital medications to patients in under three hours in some cases.

Hola Health, Chemist Warehouse and Chemist2U are amongst the companies which offer the fastest medication delivery services to their customers.

The wider rollout of the electronic prescription model will ensure that even more patients can benefit from speedy delivery of their medications.