Lockdowns drive e-script growth

ERX Script Exchange has announced the milestone of 20 million electronic prescriptions since Australia launched e-scripts just 15 months ago, with strong demand due to pharmacies and patients seeking remote and contactless options for medication supply during lockdown.

Paul Naismith, CEO of eRx parent firm Fred IT, said the innovation had been key to help adapt to the challenges posed by COVID-19.

“Electronic prescriptions have played a key role in helping pharmacies manage practical issues around lockdown and social distancing, including reducing the potential time that patients are waiting in-store and the number of people in-store at any one time,” Naismith said.

He also noted that patients had become more digitally capable during COVID-19, and this was also driving change in how they connect with pharmacies.

“In the past week, 14,000 patients pre-ordered electronic scripts through the MedView Flow network, which means they ordered from home or elsewhere before coming in to collect their medicine,” Naismith noted.

“The vast majority of these thousands of pre-ordered prescriptions are click-and-collect, although delivery services are growing,” he added.

While pre-ordered scripts had long been possible, the removal of the need for the paper prescription follow-up had substantially streamlined the process.

Naismith also highlighted the new “How can I get this prescription dispensed?” button on eRx digital tokens.

The MedView Flow network now has 2,600 participating pharmacies, receiving script orders directly into the dispensary from a range of sources including MedView Patient Connect, medication management apps such as MedAdvisor, Medmate and myPharmacy Link, and even via WhatsApp from patients’ individual My Script List.