Electronic Transfer of Prescriptions and RTPM
MediSecure Ltd has developed a simple consent protocol based on legal advice. This protocol was originally developed in response to requests from the AMA and the RACGP in June 2009 to clarify the patient consent protocol for electronic prescriptions.
There are two distinct processes in the Patient Consent Protocol for a medical practice. When a Practice installs MediSecure®, it warrants that the only patient data sent via MediSecure will come from patients that have given informed consent to participate.
General Practice consent protocol: new patients
A Practice changes its written “normal terms and conditions” of use, to include a standard clause that says:
“we send all our prescriptions electronically and may view the history of any of your prescribed or dispensed prescriptions“.
This covers new patients that sign up to a practice and ensures informed consent by the patient at the time they join the Practice.
General Practice consent protocol: existing patients
For existing patients, the Patient Consent Protocol is that a GP, at the time they write the first prescription after installing MediSecure, says to the patient:
“I am going to send this prescription off electronically and I may look at your history as part of the ongoing management of your condition. We now do this as a standard part of our care management at this Practice“.
This process creates the informed consent of the patient, in the same manner that informed consent is required to send off personal information to a referring specialist or a pathology service provider. This form of words only needs to be used once.
MediSecure is one of two Commonwealth approved Prescription Exchange Services.
This Patient Consent Protocol is a simple process that ensures all patients at a medical practice registered to use the MediSecure e-prescription service have given informed consent for the electronic prescription process.
Adoption of the above protocol means the Medical Practice has its patient consent process in place. A similar protocol can be developed for the use of other e-health services.