Script Variations
Script items available to a patient depend on their Medicare and prescription details. There are a number of different variants of scripts that can be dispensed. To view the list of items available to a patient, select the Item Type menu for the patient and look up the available options. The Item Type generally defaults to either Private or PBS depending on the patient’s Medicare information entered previously.
The basic dispensing workflow is similar to what is described in dispensing Original Scripts. There are however some differences that you might come across in the information to be provided in each case; these have been described in this section. Authority, Regulation 24, Dental and Hospital scripts can be prescribed under PBS or PBS Private Scripts as the case may be.
The script categories available to you are:
Private Script
PBS Private Script
When a patient who is otherwise eligible to receive subsidised prescriptions under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) is not able to produce their Medicare card or refuses to do so; PBS items dispensed to them are normally classified as PBS Private.
PBS Private Scripts are priced using the normal PBS pricing rules, but the full cost is passed on to the patient instead of being split into a patient contribution and a government contribution. You can optionally set these items to default to Private instead of PBS Private or change back and forth between Private and PBS Private, as required.
PBS Private scripts which have been under co-payment (safety net items) still contribute to the patient’s PRF totals. PBS Private scripts which have been over co-payment (claimable items) do not contribute to the patient’s PRF totals.
To dispense a PBS Private item to a patient, from the Item Type drop-down menu select the PBS Private Script option.
PBS Script
The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) is provided by the Australian Government to help subsidise the rate of medicines for consumers. The PBS scheme includes information that benefits carers, health care professionals, pharmacies and its consumers. For latest updates and policy changes refer to the PBS Web site.
To dispense a PBS item to a patient, from the Item Type drop-down menu select the PBS Script option. You will need to have a valid Medicare number entered for the patient in order to proceed. You can view or update the Medicare details from the Patient Summary panel.
RPBS Script
Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (RPBS) items can only be dispensed to patients who have a repatriation number stored in their details.
To dispense an RPBS item to a patient, from the Item Type drop-down menu select the RPBS Script option. Repat items are marked with an R in the Rstr (Restrictions) column of the Item Prescribed and Item Dispensed drop-down lists.
NOTE
The repat R comes after the schedule information and is preceded by a space to distinguish it from schedule information that uses an R (e.g. S3R drugs).
Prescriber Bag Supply
To dispense a prescriber’s bag item to a patient, from the Item Type drop-down menu select the Prescriber Bag Supply option. The Item Prescribed and Item Dispensed drop-down lists are restricted to prescriber’s bag items. Prescriber’s bag items are marked with a B in the Rstr(Restrictions) column of the Item Prescribed and Item Dispensed drop-down lists. Interaction checking is skipped when dispensing prescriber’s bag items.
S3 Recordable Supply
To supply a Schedule 3 Recordable (S3R) item to a patient, from the Item Type drop-down menu select the S3 Recordable Supply option. Boxes that do not apply to S3R items are disabled, and the Item Prescribed and Item Dispensed drop-down lists only show S3R items. Prescriber details will not be needed while dispensing an item in this category, hence the Prescriber field appears disabled.
NOTE
There is a setting in the Dispensing Setup that allows you to select and enable any S3 item for the S3R supply type, rather than just S3R items.
Continued Dispensing
Continued Dispensing is a government initiative aimed at minimising treatment interruption due to a patient’s inability to obtain a timely prescription renewal. It enables registered pharmacists to supply a standard pack of an eligible medicine in defined circumstances, when a prescription is unavailable. It is intended to complement but not replace the other supply arrangements available for urgent or emergency situations.
Continued Dispensing commenced progressively from 1 September 2013 in South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia, and from 20 September 2013 in New South Wales.
To supply a Continued Dispensing item to a patient, from the Item Type drop-down menu select the Continued Dispensing Supply option.
Eligibility Requirements
Medicines can be supplied as Continued Dispensing items if all of the following conditions are met:
- The medicine has been identified by the Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) as being eligible for supply under Continued Dispensing arrangements.
- There is an immediate need for the medicine, and it is not practical for the patient to obtain a prescription for the medicine from a PBS prescriber.
- The medicine has been supplied to the patient in the preceding 6 months.
- The patient’s therapy is stable, and there has been prior clinical review by the prescriber that supports continuation of the medicine.
- The medicine has not been supplied to the patient by any pharmacy as a Continued Dispensing item in the preceding 12 months.
PBS Online will reject Continued Dispensing supply claims where another valid Continued Dispensing supply claim has been made by any approved supplier for the same item and the same patient within the preceding 12 months.
Continued Dispensing is currently limited to two therapeutic categories:
- Oral hormonal contraceptives.
- HMG CoA reductase inhibitors or statins.
Other classes of lipid modifying agents and combination agents are not included.
See Also:
To know more about Continued Dispensing – appropriate prescribing conditions, forms to fill, dispensing process to be followed, refer to:
- Continued Dispensing Initiative Education Guide
- National Health (Continued Dispensing) Determination 2012
- National Health Act 1953 (‘Continued Dispensing’)
Dispenser Identification
Dispensers are identified by their 13-character Health Practitioner Number (AHPRA) for Continued Dispensing purposes. Enter this number into the Health Practitioner # box on the Staff Details screen for all pharmacists who dispense Continued Dispensing items. If you haven’t entered the AHPRA number, the system will display a prompt for you to enter the number in order to proceed.
To access the Staff Details screen, go to the Staff menu, select Edit Dispenser and enter the Health Practitioner # number. For more information, refer to Adding or Modifying Dispenser Details.
Prescriber details will not be needed while dispensing an item in this category, hence the Prescriber field appears disabled.
Other Recordable Supply
Any scripts that don’t fall under the previously listed categories can be added as Other Recordable Supplies, such as non-prescription supplies or emergency supplies. To record an emergency or non-prescription item in the patient’s history, from the Item Type drop-down menu select the Other Recordable Supply option. Boxes that apply only to prescriptions will appear disabled. Prescriber details will not be needed while dispensing an item in this category, hence the Prescriber field also appears disabled.
Pharmacy Boards require emergency supply of pharmacist prescribed medications to be flagged in a way that is visible when patient history is viewed.
They also require the ability for a Pharmacy Board inspector to retrieve a report detailing such supplies for a specified date range. Emergency supplies are flagged in patient history with a symbol to easily identify them. They are not related to owing/telephone scripts.