Understanding electronic prescribing
About electronic prescribing
Electronic prescribing is part of an Australian Government initiative to make the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) more efficient and improve medicine safety through digital health. It allows doctors, pharmacists, and patients to manage prescriptions without using paper.
Electronic prescriptions can be used for any medicine anywhere in Australia, including general practices and community pharmacies. You can still ask for a paper prescription if necessary.
How electronic prescribing works
- Your healthcare provider creates an electronic prescription using secure clinical software.
- You receive a unique token (usually a QR code) by SMS or email. This token is your secure key to access your prescription.
- Present the token to any pharmacy that supports electronic prescriptions.
- The pharmacy scans the token and dispenses your medicine.
Tip: If you manage multiple medicines, you can use an Active Script List (ASL) to keep all your electronic prescriptions in one place. Ask your pharmacist or healthcare provider for more information.
Who can use electronic prescribing
- You: Anyone with a Medicare or Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) card or Individual Healthcare Identifier (IHI) number can receive electronic prescriptions.
- Healthcare providers: Prescribers and pharmacists must use clinical software that complies with national safety and security standards, and legislative requirements.
- Pharmacies: Most community pharmacies across Australia support electronic prescriptions.
Technical and policy requirements
Prescribers and pharmacists must use clinical software that meets the Electronic Prescribing Conformance Scheme, maintained by the Australian Digital Health Agency. This ensures the software can securely connect to the National Prescription Delivery Service (NPDS), which stores and sends electronic prescriptions.
The Australian Government, together with the Australian Digital Health Agency, maintains the technical framework for electronic prescribing. This framework ensures that clinical software:
- lets you choose your prescriber and pharmacy
- follows privacy and security standards
- complies with PBS rules and state or territory laws.
More technical guidance is available from the Australian Digital Health Agency.
For healthcare providers
The Australian Government encourages prescribers and community pharmacies to:
- make sure their clinical software is up to date
- take part in training offered by the Australian Digital Health Agency, peak bodies, and software providers.
Benefits of electronic prescribing
Electronic prescribing offers a range of benefits for you, your healthcare providers, and the broader health system.
Why use electronic prescribing
- It’s convenient – no need to keep track of paper prescriptions.
- It’s secure – your health information is protected.
- It supports safer, more connected healthcare.
For you
- Greater choice of prescriber and pharmacy.
- Convenient access to prescriptions via SMS, email, or Active Script List (ASL).
- Improved privacy and security of your personal health information.
- Less paperwork – no need to handle or store paper prescriptions.
- Better support for telehealth and continuity of care, especially if you see multiple providers or use virtual care.
For healthcare providers and the health system
- More efficient processes for prescribing and dispensing medicines.
- Reduced risk of errors in prescribing and dispensing.
- Safer use of medicines through digital records and secure transmission.
- Support for electronic medication charts in hospitals and residential aged care.
- Reduced exposure to infectious diseases by allowing contactless processes.
- Streamlined PBS compliance and better recordkeeping for audits.
Did you know?
Electronic prescribing also helps Australia build a more modern, flexible, and resilient health system, supporting future digital health initiatives.
Current and future work
Australia’s electronic prescribing system is continually evolving to support safer, more efficient, and more connected health care. We are working with the Australian Digital Health Agency and other partners on several key initiatives, outlined below.
National Prescription Delivery Service (NPDS)
The NPDS is Australia’s secure, government-funded system that allows prescriptions to be transferred between prescribers and dispensers. It supports both electronic prescriptions, and the digital transfer of paper prescription data. The NPDS is operated by Fred IT Group via the eRx Script Exchange, under a contract with the Australian Government.
The NPDS supports the exchange of nearly 300 million prescriptions each year.
Launched on 1 July 2023, the NPDS has kept all eligible prescription data since November 2023. It is a key part of modern, safe, and efficient medicines management. The NPDS supports reforms such as:
- Electronic Prescribing by Default
- the National Electronic Medication Chart Framework
- expansion into hospitals and aged care.
The Australian Government provides long-term funding and oversight to:
- ensure prescription data is delivered securely and reliably, including covering SMS token costs.
- improve efficiency across the health system.
- maintain strong governance, cyber security, and compliance standards.
We work with the Australian Digital Health Agency, Fred IT Group, software vendors and healthcare professionals to support NPDS connections.
National Prescription Delivery Service (NPDS) team
Electronic prescribing by default
Electronic prescribing by default replaces the earlier plan for mandatory electronic prescribing of high-risk and high-cost medicines announced in the 2023–24 Budget. The new approach keeps the same goals – improving safety and increasing use – but is more flexible and better aligned with Australia’s digital health systems.
Under this model, electronic prescriptions will become the standard way to prescribe medicines in Australia. Paper prescriptions will still be available when needed – for example, where you do not have access to a mobile device or if clinical safety requires a paper version.
This change supports safer, more connected healthcare by:
- improving medication safety through digital systems, such as like Real-Time Prescription Monitoring, which helps clinicians make safer prescribing decisions based on your medicines history
- strengthening PBS compliance by linking dispensing records to electronic prescriptions, reducing errors and supporting audit processes
- improving access to medication information for both clinicians and patients
- giving you more control with digital tools such as the Active Script List that make managing repeats easier and support virtual care
- building a stronger national digital health foundation for future digital health initiatives.
Electronic prescribing by default will start in primary care, where the infrastructure is already in place. We are planning a trial for early 2026 to test its use in selected settings. Preparation is underway, and we will base decisions on stakeholder input and system readiness.
Electronic prescribing by default team
Electronic National Residential Medication Charts (eNRMC)
Residential aged care homes use eNRMC systems to prescribe, supply, and administer PBS and non-PBS medicines. These systems make care more coordinated, reduce paperwork, and improve patient safety by removing paper-based processes.
For more information, please refer to:
- Medication management for health practitioners
- the Electronic National Residential Medication Chart (eNRMC) collection.
National Residential Medication Chart contact
National Electronic Medication Chart Framework (NEMCF)
After successfully introducing eNRMC in aged care, the Australian Government is now working to expand the use of electronic medication charts to more healthcare settings. Together with the Australian Digital Health Agency and the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, we are developing NEMCF.
As part of the 2023–24 Strengthening Medicare Budget measure, the NEMCF will set out the laws, technical standards, and safety requirements needed for electronic medication charts. This will:
- make it easier for software providers
- encourage innovation
- improve medicine safety
- ensure the quality use of medicines across the healthcare system.
National Electronic Medication Chart Framework team
Active Script List (ASL)
The ASL is a token management solution which securely stores electronic prescriptions in one place. This removes the need for consumers to keep track of individual token sent via SMS or email. The ASL can also show barcoded paper prescriptions. However, consumers will still need to take the barcoded paper prescription to the pharmacy to receive their medicine.
With consent, authorised pharmacists and healthcare providers can access a consumer’s active prescriptions in their ASL. This allows electronic prescriptions to be dispensed without needing to show a token.
The ASL can be useful for people who take multiple medicines, use telehealth, or visit different pharmacies.
We are introducing ASL functionality in stages:
| Release number | Name | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Release 1 | Assisted-registration | You can sign up for an ASL through a pharmacist or prescriber and manage your ASL via participating apps. | Available |
| Release 2 | Self-registration | This will allow you to self-register for an ASL using mobile applications. This release adds more flexibility and better integration with digital health services. | Future enhancement |
Key updates for Release 2
Completed updates include amendments to the Healthcare Identifiers Regulations 2020 and the development of mobile apps. You can already use apps to view and manage your prescriptions within the ASL.
Self-registration is not available yet as identity verification is still being finalised. Until then, you can keep registering through your pharmacist or prescriber.
These improvements are modernising prescription management and strengthening Australia’s digital health system. You can now view and manage your ASL using the Australian Government’s official 1800Medicare app, along with other apps that support ASL.
Visit the Australian Digital Health Agency website for more information, including the 1800Medicare app.
Electronic prescribing contact
Electronic prescribing in public hospitals
The Australian Digital Health Agency is leading the expansion of electronic prescribing into public hospitals as part of a key project under the Intergovernmental Agreement on National Digital Health 2023–2027. We are supporting this work through:
- policy coordination
- strategic engagement
- collaboration with states and territories.
This initiative aligns with the Digital Health Blueprint 2023–2033, which aims to strengthen digital infrastructure across health settings.
Introducing electronic prescribing into public hospitals will improve patient care and increase the efficiency and sustainability of the healthcare system.
Electronic prescribing contact
Legislative and policy framework
Australia’s electronic prescribing system is backed by strong laws and policies to keep it safe, protect privacy, and make sure it meets national health standards.
Key legislation
Changes to the National Health (Pharmaceutical Benefits) Regulations 2017 allow the use of electronic prescriptions under the PBS. To support electronic prescribing, including for medication charts, there are 4 key instruments:
- Form of the Electronic Prescription 2019 – defines the required information fields for PBS electronic prescriptions
- Electronic Prescriptions Information Technology Requirements 2019 – outlines system requirements for participating software, including security, privacy, and data usage
- Form of the PBS Hospital Medication Chart – sets requirements for both paper and electronic medication charts used in hospitals
- Form of the National Residential Medication Chart – sets requirements for both paper and electronic medication charts used in residential aged care facilities.
Changes to the National Health (Supply of Pharmaceutical Benefits – Under Co-payment Data and Claims for Payment) Rules 2022 allow PBS claims to be made for electronic prescriptions. These rules set out the information that approved suppliers must provide when supplying PBS medicines electronically.
Active Script List (ASL) legislation
On 6 March 2025, the Healthcare Identifiers Regulations 2020 were amended to allow you to register yourself for the ASL. This change – known as the Healthcare Identifiers (Active Script List Registration) Regulations 2025 – gives extra authorisations for handling healthcare identifiers. It supports new features introduced under the 2018–19 Budget measure Improving Access to Medicines – ePrescribing for Safer Medicines.
Privacy and data policies
The following policies guide the use of electronic prescriptions and the ASL:
- Electronic Prescribing Active Script List (ASL) Privacy Framework
- Electronic Prescriptions Security and Access Policy
- Electronic Prescriptions Privacy Policy
- Electronic Prescriptions Data Usage Policy
- PBS hospital medication chart
- National residential medication chart
For more information about privacy policies, see the Electronic Prescribing Privacy Impact Assessment Public Summary. You can also view our privacy policy.
State and territory requirements
Australian Capital Territory
In the Australian Capital Territory, the Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 2008 enables electronic prescribing.
New South Wales
In New South Wales, an exemption from the New South Wales Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Regulation enables electronic prescribing. See more information for:
Northern Territory
In the Northern Territory the Electronic Transactions (Northern Territory) Act 2000 enables electronic prescribing. Read about medicines and poisons control in the Northern Territory.
Queensland
In Queensland, the Medicines and Poisons Act 2019 and supporting Medicines and Poisons (Medicines) Regulation 2021 enables systems that meet the conditions specified in the Departmental Standard – Requirements for an electronic prescription management system (Version 1) (PDF 543 KB), to electronically prepare, transfer, retrieve and record prescription information (electronic prescription) for a medicine, and to record dispensing activities.
South Australia
In South Australia, the Controlled Substances (Poisons) Regulations 2011 enable electronic prescriptions. Read information for consumers, health professionals and software vendors.
Tasmania
In Tasmania, Regulations 21 and 46 of the Poisons Regulations 2018 enable electronic prescriptions, where approved by the Tasmanian Secretary for Health. The Secretary for Health must approve any software system used in Tasmania to prescribe, transmit, or dispense electronic prescriptions. Read about electronic prescribing in Tasmania.
Victoria
Read about electronic prescribing in Victoria.
Western Australia
In Western Australia, the Medicines and Poisons Regulations 2016 enable electronic prescribing. The Western Australian Department of Health must approve each product that is part of an electronic prescribing system. Read about electronic prescribing in Western Australia.
Learn more
See Claiming online for PBS medicines for more information on the changes made to the PBS claim-for-payment system.
Read the summary of COVID-19 regulatory changes impacting pharmacy across Australia.
Read more the Electronic Prescribing – Frequently Asked Questions for more information about the work on electronic prescribing.
Contacts
Electronic prescribing contact
Contact the Australian Digital Health Agency with questions about the electronic prescribing technical framework.
Australian Digital Health Agency
Contact Services Australia with questions about the:
- PBS or Repatriation Schedule of Pharmaceutical Benefits (RPBS) claim systems
- Healthcare identifiers service.
