E-Prescribing Wars Break Out in Australia!

Well it seems we are to have a little competition for the eRx program announced a week or two ago and commented on in detail here:

http://aushealthit.blogspot.com/2009/03/e-prescribing-comes-around-again-in.html

Well now we have a new competitor.

RACGP supports MediSecure e-scrip solution

March 20, 2009:A contender for the secure electronic transmission of prescriptions (ETP) from doctors to pharmacists has gained the support of The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP).

Created jointly by ArgusConnect, PSLnet and Medseed, the MediSecure e-prescription solution promises a standards-compliant solution that is open to all clinical and dispensing IT systems and is working now.

MediSecure is a response to initiatives taken by COAG and the Commonwealth Government which placed electronic transmission of prescriptions (ETP) and secure individual electronic health records (SIEHRs) at the top of the national E-Health agenda.

“The MediSecure e-prescription solution is committed to implementing Australian standards; Open interface specifications; Interconnectivity and equity of access with all IT vendors in medical practice and pharmacy; privacy protection and market contestability in relation to any e-prescribing exchange” said Ross Davey CEO of Argusconnect.

MediSecure uses technology developed for the eHealthNT trial of Electronic Transfer of Prescriptions, which was implemented by General Practice Network NT (GPNNT), a leading division of general practice. This trial adopted current and emerging standards, open design principles and open participation, as well as implementing the most recentHL7 Prescription Message standard. MediSecure incorporates HL7 and the emerging IT14 standards.

MediSecure Chairman, Paul Montgomery said “MediSecure is confident its working technology meets all the prevailing standards including best practice privacy requirements, it has in place a process to adapt to evolving standards fromNeHTA and others, and includes the HeSA PKI which provides for message encryption, digital signing and authentication. Overall, we believe we have carefully positioned our offer to meet the current and future requirements for a standards-compliant contestable market solution that is acceptable to government and the standards setters in medical practice.”

Much more here:

http://www.idm.net.au/story.asp?id=16699

More coverage is found here:

Pharmacists & GPs back rival e-script projects

Simone Roberts

A direct competitor to the Guild backed eRx Script Exchange entered the market yesterday with the support of doctors.

MediSecure announced the release of the MediSecure e-prescription solution, created jointly by ArgusConnect, PSLnet and Medseed. According to MediSecure, ArgusConnect currently connects over 8,000 health care practitioners, while PSLnet is a secure trading exchange with the capacity to electronically connect every pharmacy in Australia.

A statement from the company said pharmacists would pay 25 cents per script while there would be no cost to doctors.

The initiative has received the backing of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP). RACGP president Dr Chris Mitchell said pharmacists would save time and money in the dispensing process and looked forward to their enthusiasm in supporting the development.

Guild president Kos Sclavos said Dr Mitchell's comments were the "typical approach of doctors".

More here:

http://www.pharmacynews.com.au/articles/Pharmacists-GPs-back-rival-e-script-projects_z473932.htm

There is a web site here:

http://www.medisecure.com.au/index.html

We also have more eRx related news:

Simple Retail joins eRx rollout

THE majority of pharmacies across Australia are tipped to start using the fi rst national electronic prescription platform by the middle of the year after Simple Retail joined the rollout of the software.

The dispensing specialist will join main developers Fred Health and medical software specialist Best Practice in rolling out the eRx Script Exchange system to pharmacies.

Pharmacies in New South Wales and Victoria have already started trialing the system with a nationwide launch expected in July.

Pharmacy Guild of Australia national president Kos Sclavos expected eRx Script Exchange to be available in 60 per cent of Australian pharmacies by July.

More here:

http://www.pharmacynews.com.au/articles/Simple-Retail-joins-eRx-rollout_z473798.htm

All I can say it is starting to get exciting.

However, the time has really come for DoHA and NEHTA to step in, make it clear we are going to have one National System – which is consistent with all the other secure messaging initiatives which are in train (and which is consistent with the National E-Health Strategy) – and put the parties on notice that this is a key policy issue which the Government will address in a sensible way which conforms to the national interest.

To let all involved just spend money and effort – without policy and regulatory clarity – is just absurd.

Minister Roxon are you listening?

David.

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