Queensland has become the latest state to allow the prescribing of PBS medicines through a digital image following an announcement by Queensland Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Steven Miles.
Under this Special Arrangement, which begins Monday 18 May, prescribers can provide a digital image or copy of a person's prescription following a telehealth consultation to the patient's pharmacy of choice via fax, email or text message.
PSA Queensland Branch Manager Chris Campbell welcomed the announcement which brings Queensland in-line with all the other states and territories when it comes to digital image prescribing.
"This announcement will greatly decrease workload for pharmacists who will no longer be required to manually reconcile paper prescriptions," he said.
"The process for pharmacies to receive a patients prescription from the prescriber will now be a lot quicker and provides Queenslanders with more options to reduce the need to leave their home during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
"This also reduces unnecessary red tape on both medical practices and pharmacists and allows the focus to remain on our patients who need pharmacist services now more than ever..
"It is important Queenslanders continue to receive timely healthcare from their regular pharmacist during the COVID-19 pandemic and I congratulate the Queensland Government on making this necessary change."
Digital image prescriptions will remain in place until the end of September 2020 with paper prescriptions also available during this period like they have always been.
