Pharmacy Daily | ASL entirely optional for patients

PATIENTS will retain control over who can see medications on their Active Script List (ASL) when the next phase of electronic-prescriptions is rolled out, Fred IT Group e-health General Manager, David Freemantle says.

Responding to patient privacy concerns flagged by Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) Expert Committee of Practice Technology and Management Chair, Dr Rob Hosking, Freemantle told Pharmacy Daily the ASL will be "entirely optional for patients".

Hosking expressed concerns that the ASL would allow pharmacists to see all scripts including ones that patients may have had dispensed at another pharmacy.

However, Freemantle said provisions have been made to ensure patients retain control over who has access to the ASL.

"As part of the sign up process, patients are given clear terms and conditions that cover privacy and disclosure of data," he said.

"Patients are also required to actively consent to have an ASL created and shared with their chosen health professionals.

"If they opt in to the ASL, patients can then choose which prescribers and pharmacies they want to share their ASL content with.

"Vendors are also providing the ability for prescribers and pharmacists, on the request of their patients, to stop individual items being sent to the ASL.

"Privacy and security are front of mind in all aspects of the design, which is being developed by more than 40 participating industry organisations and overseen by the Federal Department of Health and the Australian Digital Health Agency."

Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) National President, Dr Chris Freeman, also backed the introduction of the ASL model for e-scripts in addition to the token system, which has been rolled out in recent months.

"PSA supports electronic prescribing through both the token and active script list models," he said.

"The rollout of the active script list is vital with token based prescribing to enable choice, control and flexibility to patients.

"Pharmacists have demonstrated they are progressive in clinical practice through digital adoption and PSA is working with the government on pharmacy workflow and consenting arrangements."