Pharmacy Daily | Monitor controlled drugs in real time

A NEW electronic system to monitor controlled drugs will help doctors and pharmacists combat 'doctor shopping' for scripts in Western Australia.

The ScriptCheckWA system will be launched on 28 Mar.

For the first two months of this year, the system underwent testing with a select group of WA doctors.

ScriptCheckWA is now ready for release to all general practitioners and community pharmacies throughout WA.

It gives approved users access to data on controlled drugs 24/7 and facilitates seamless communication between doctors and pharmacies, and between different doctors.

Drugs reported in ScriptCheckWA include controlled drugs such as:

opioids (morphine, oxycodone, fentanyl, methadone) for the treatment of severe pain;

stimulants (dexamfetamine) for the treatment of ADHD;

cannabis-based products (such as for symptoms of pain, terminal illness and movement disorders); and

other miscellaneous controlled drugs (for pain and anxiety).

The WA Department of Health will closely monitor the outcomes of ScriptCheckWA.

Consideration will be given to adding other problematic prescription medicines to the system in the future.

WA Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson explained that "early users of the system say it has vastly improved the way they can support their patients and manage any risks in relation to these medications.

"The platform allows doctors and pharmacists to instantly detect doctor shopping - meaning they can intervene where people are accessing excessive amounts of these medicines.

"The ScriptCheckWA's strength is that it now gives health practitioners instant, secure access to this data, as it occurs.

"Better access to this data will support rapid identification of people with a drug problem and assist with their timely referral into an appropriate drug treatment program," said Sanderson.