By Dillon Shelley
CATCHING the wind of change, Australia’s Department of Health has made a bold move with their transformative 60-day prescription initiative. This avant-garde approach aspires to gift patients with a simpler, efficient way to manage their health.
Local pharmacist Bridget Anderson from Shepparton Amcal Pharmacy, finds the initiative wanting in clarity, “There’s a big announcement, but very little communication on how it works. This has left patients, pharmacies and doctors trying to navigate through the confusion.”
Local pharmacy owner, Kate Boswell of Reid’s Pharmacy, comments on the patient aspect of the new system, “The idea that you could provide patients with enough medication for 60-days could be life-altering, especially for stable long-term patients.”
Indeed, rather than running back and forth to the pharmacy, patients can now receive a 60-day supply of certain common, stable, and long-term conditions medicines at once – a feature that includes medicines for high blood pressure, cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes. “However,” Anderson adds, “patient eligibility needs to be assessed on a case-by-case basis to ensure best health outcomes.”
Boswell raises similar concerns, “There are a lot of teething issues to sort out. Certain patients may not benefit and could even be financially worse off.”
Additionally, with optimism about the patient-centric initiative, there’s a common concern amongst pharmacy owners about it affecting their revenue. Anderson states, “This is going to have a huge impact on pharmacies as it rolls out further. Reduced prescriptions may lead to cut staff, reduced hours, and even shutdowns due to diminished revenue.”
Key to the success of this initiative is that the 60-day prescription must be mutually agreed upon between the patient and their healthcare provider – a necessary clause to ensure protection of best health interests.
The Department of Health has meticulously selected medications for this initiative, committing to the safety of larger supplies. These specific medicines involve Atorvastatin, Rosuvastatin, Metformin, Perindopril, and more.
This initiative sparks a potential curtailing of pharmacy visits; a significant shift in Australia’s healthcare landscape.
However, as Kate Boswell insists, “The whole thing needs finessing, but ultimately the concept is there.” Bridget Anderson echoes these sentiments, “Beneath the initial issues, there’s a promising initiative for certain patients.”
Starting from September 1, 2023, around 100 common medicines on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) will offer a 60-day prescription option. The rollout planned in three stages over a span of 12 months, ending by September 1, 2024, aims to cover over 300 medicines.
