The new feature of the real-time prescription monitoring system means added convenience for out of state doctors.
The NSW real-time prescription monitoring system is now open for registration to practitioners who work outside the state but have a patient who lives in NSW or who receives treatment from NSW practitioners.
Interstate access is a one of a range of enhancements to SafeScript NSW, which was rolled out across the state in May 2022.
NSW is part of the information-sharing framework for cross-border data sharing, enabled by the National Data Exchange provided by the DoHAC.
Use of SafeScript NSW is voluntary, unlike most other states. According to eHealth NSW figures, more than 22,000 health practitioners have registered for the system – including 66% of GPs and 64% of pharmacists in NSW.
In addition, more than 270,000 unique patient records have been viewed by eligible health practitioners, according to eHealth NSW.
New functionality that will allow prescribers to submit authority applications online and track progress and reduce turnaround time will be introduced later this year.
In addition to interstate access, current enhancements include more intuitive patient search functionality, including clearer messaging about the minimum criteria required to search for a patient and the ability to open a patient record in a new tab.
Links to guidance on requirements to hold an authority have been added, and there is also guidance on what to do in response to a specific alert.
