Image-based prescribing comes to end

The interim arrangement came to an end for most doctors this week.

The National Health (COVID-19 Supply of Pharmaceutical Benefits) Special Arrangement 2020, more commonly referred to as ‘image-based prescribing’, came to an end for the majority of doctors on Thursday, with an extension for hospitals until 31 March 2023.

The AMA has been working with the Department of Health to limit the impact this will have on patients. The Department will continue to work with the jurisdictions and some limited continuations are in place to support the ongoing management of COVID-19 cases in the community.

The Department of Health introduced ‘image-based prescribing’ in March 2020 as an interim arrangement while electronic prescribing capabilities were being developed. The AMA successfully advocated for an extension to image-based prescribing when it was originally due to expire during the Omicron wave in December last year.

Electronic prescribing will continue and doctors that cannot access electronic prescribing through their software will continue to have options that existed before image-based prescribing to enable remote support to their patients. More information is available here.

The AMA encourages members with questions to contact eprescribing@health.gov.au