eScripts and Active Script Lists

Electronic prescriptions, give people a choice of how to access their medications. More 219 million electronic prescriptions have been issued since May 2020, by more than 85,958 GPs and nurse practitioner prescribers – Australian Digital Health Agency, April 2024.

How do electronic prescriptions work?

Token
Instead of a paper prescription, the patient can choose to receive their prescription via an app, SMS or email in the form of a link to a unique QR code or ‘token’. The token is scanned by the pharmacy to unlock the electronic form of the prescription from an encrypted and secure electronic prescription delivery service. If the patient has a repeat for a prescription, they will receive a new token from the pharmacy that replaces the original token.


Active Script List (ASL)
An Active Script List is a digital list of a patient’s electronic prescriptions. Once registered, patients no longer need to keep track of each electronic prescription token. The ASL allows patients to attend any participating pharmacy, provide consent for the pharmacy to access their list, and have that pharmacy dispense their medicines.

Once patients register at a pharmacy for an ASL, any electronic prescriptions they are issued are automatically added to their ASL. Patients can choose for their medicines not to be added to the ASL at the point of prescribing and GPs can manage these requests via their clinical information systems.

What are the benefits of electronic prescribing?

  • Improved patient safety by reducing the risk of transcription errors.
  • Improved practitioner workflow efficiencies by reducing unnecessary paperwork.
  • Choice of prescription format that suits patient preference.
  • Potential for new or alternative digital health services and initiatives into the future.
  • Reduced prescription misuse through increased data available for real-time monitoring.
  • Support the future of digital health innovation.

How we can help

Murray PHN encourages and supports the use of token electronic scripts and ASL in our region. For further information or support, email digitalhealth@murrayphn.org.au

Last Update: October 24th, 2024

Murray PHN acknowledges its catchment crosses over many unceded First Nations Countries, following the Dhelkunya Yaluk (Healing River).

We pay our respects and give thanks to the Ancestors, Elders and Young people for their nurturing, protection and caregiving of these sacred lands and waterways, acknowledging their continuing cultural, spiritual and educational practices.

We are grateful for the sharing of Country and the renewal that Country gives us. We acknowledge and express our sorrow that this sharing has come at a personal, spiritual and cultural cost to the wellbeing of First Nations peoples. We commit to addressing the injustices of colonisation across our catchment, and to listening to the wisdom of First Nations communities who hold the knowledge to enable healing. We extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.