Electronic Prescribing FAQs

This article answers common ePrescribing questions and issues in MediRecords. It covers missing menu options, Medicare card requirements, paper versus electronic scripts, token delivery problems, the "HPI-O No must be supplied" error, changing a patient's email or phone for a token, and confirming a script's delivery via Integration Audit. This applies to Providers and Clinicians troubleshooting an ePrescription that hasn't generated or sent successfully.

Contents:

1. ePrescribing Menu Options Missing
2. Medicare Cards & ePrescribing
3. Paper and Electronic Scripts
4. Script Token Opens the MyHealth App
5. Error: HPI-O No Must Be Supplied
6. Changing Email/Phone Number for a Token
7. Identifying Successful ePrescriptions
8. Tracing a Script Using the Integration Audit
9. Patient Didn't Receive ePrescription
10. Including More than One Medication on an eScript

ePrescribing Menu Options Missing

If you're unable to see the option for ePrescribe at the end of the prescribing workflow, you can normally resolve this with changing your configuration. There are a few common reasons why ePrescribing may not appear, and most can be resolved quickly by checking your user settings, patient settings, or practice configuration.

First, check if the eRx identification number is entered under your details which can be found in your settings.

1. Click More > Settings > Subscription Details
   
     
2. Click Users
   
     
3. Click on the name of the user.
   
    
4. Open the Identifiers tab to find eRx identification number.
   

If the above situation is occurring only in certain patients where there is no ePrescribe option, then you have to make sure to check your patient's settings to ensure that the ePrescribing box is ticked.
To tick the ePrescribing box please go into the Patient Details, then Settings, and scroll down to the ePrescribing section. 

If after these steps you are still encountering an issue, please confirm that your clinic is configured for ePrescribing correctly.

For more information on how to configure your practice for ePrescribing click here.

Medicare Cards & ePrescribing

MediCare Card is NOT necessary to receive an ePrescription unless the medication is on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). For private electronic prescriptions (non-PBS prescriptions), only an IHI number is needed. With paper prescriptions, an IHI and Medicare number are not required.

An Individual Healthcare Identifier (IHI) is a unique number used to identify an individual for healthcare purposes. It helps ensure health professionals are confident that the right information is associated with the right individual at the point of care.

Those who are not eligible for Medicare or DVA benefits can still obtain an IHI number from Services Australia.

Paper and Electronic Scripts

A prescription can only be paper or electronic for the duration of its life, including repeats. It cannot be converted, and you may only have one or the other.

Script Token Opens the MyHealth App

This is an issue that cannot be addressed directly by MediRecords or eRx. However, you can bypass this by ensuring the URL opens in a web browser, instead of following the default navigation path when clicking the link.

Please note that the steps may vary depending on the phone model and SMS app being used. Since not all patients may use the default messaging app on their device, the instructions provided are intended as a general guide rather than exact steps.

Android

Default SMS Messaging App on Android (Samsung):

1. Hold your thumb on the message.
2. Tap the ellipses in the top-right corner of the app.
3. Select "Share."
4. Choose "Chrome."
5. This will ensure the URL opens properly in Chrome.

iOS

Default SMS Messaging App on iOS:

1. Hold your thumb on the URL.
2. Select "Open in Safari".
3. This will redirect you to Safari with the token showing

Error: HPI-O No Must Be Supplied

You will need to check your Practice Configuration to ensure the HPI-O number is entered if you are receiving this error.

To navigate to the HPI-O field, follow these steps:

1. Go to More > Settings > Configuration
   
     
2. Select the Practice in question, then open the eHealth tab.
   

Changing Email/Phone Number for a Token

Yes, you can free type in the fields for the mobile phone number or email address from the Confirm Patient Contact pop-up. This will not permanently change the email or phone number stored in the patient record.

Identifying Successful ePrescriptions

There are a couple of separate ways you can check this, and they are as follows:

1. There will be a blue pop-up message appear from eRx in the top right-hand corner that will indicate to you that the "Token has been requested".
2. Current RX, check the Type= Paperless and the Status=Active/Printed
   
3. Past Rx, Click the triangle next to the medication to drop down the prescription information and see eRx Status = Active/ Printed

Tracing a Script Using the Integration Audit

This guide will take you through the steps to locate a script, find its unique SCID number, and use the Integration Audit to confirm where and how it was sent. By following these steps, you will be able to quickly verify script delivery and resolve any patient queries with confidence.

1. Inside the patient's record, navigate to the Clinical tab.
2. Go to Medications and locate the script in question. Expand the details of the script and note down the SCID.
   
    
3. Once you have noted the SCID, go to More and select Audit. Under Audit, choose Integration Audit.
   
    
4. Select the Filter option and select eRx Create and also eRx Cancel.
   
     

5. Enter the SCID from the script and paste it into the search function. Depending on the number of scripts in the system, this can take a while to load and process.

   ℹ️ Note: If searching the SCID does not work because there are too many scripts to load, press Ctrl + F on your keyboard and enter the SCID number to jump straight to the page where it is located.

   

Once you are taken to that page and have located the script by matching the SCID, select the here option within the description part of the script information.

This will show you where the script was sent, and the email or phone number it was sent to.

Patient Didn't Receive ePrescription

There may be situations where patients assert that they have not received their ePrescription. To verify that the correct mobile number or email address is recorded in the patient's demographic details, please follow the steps outlined below.

1. Inside the patient's record, go to the Details Tab > Demographics.
2. Look for the Contact Details and make sure you have the most accurate data.
   

Note: This does not re-prescribe the medication in any form, rather it simply sends the patient another copy of the same eScript.

Including More than One Medication on an eScript

You can only prescribe one medication at a time on an ePrescription, in line with conformance.

Further Reading

• eRx & Electronic Prescribing: Configuration
• Writing Prescriptions: Quick Guide