Alerts in Canberra Script

Disclaimer

The content provided on this page is intended for use by health professionals. It is not tailored for the general public and should not be interpreted as personal medical advice. If you are not a healthcare professional and have concerns or questions regarding your health or a medical condition, we encourage you to consult your healthcare provider.

Canberra Script releases alerts and notifications that show medium or high risk patient dispensing or prescribing history.

Alerts are colour-coded based on risk level and are prompts for health professionals to consider as part of their clinical decision-making.

Health professionals are still responsible for their own clinical decisions.

Canberra Script does not prevent health professionals from prescribing or dispensing medicines they consider clinically necessary.

Alerts in Canberra Script

Alert type	Who will see the alert and when	Reasons for alert
Prescriber not authorised	Prescribers at time of prescribing only.	Patient is flagged as drug dependent by a prescriber. Patient has been on the controlled medicine for more than 2 months. Another prescriber holds a current CHO Approval
Opioid dose exceeds approval	For prescribers at time of prescribing when an authorised prescriber exceeds the approval limit for Categories 1, 2 or 2A.	Prescribing will exceed a Category 1 Approval based on last 60 days. Prescribing will exceed a Category 2A approval based on last 60 days. Prescribing will exceed a Category 2B approval based on last 60 days.
Multiple prescriber episodes	This alert is generated when a health professional prescribes or dispenses a monitored medicine for a patient who has obtained monitored medicine supply or prescription from multiple providers in the last 60 days. While there may be legitimate reasons for the patient to visit multiple providers, the alert will prompt the health professional to review the patient’s history prior to prescribing or dispensing. This alert is seen at time of prescribing and dispensing.	Patient obtained prescriptions for monitored medicines from at least 3 different prescribers or medical clinics. Patient obtained supply of monitored medicines from at least 4 different pharmacies.
Concurrent supply	This alert is generated at the time of prescribing and dispensing.	When, in the last 60 days, a patient has been prescribed or dispensed either: an opioid—and a benzodiazepine is intended for supply a benzodiazepine/z-drug–and an opioid is intended for supply. Risk levels are determined as: High Risk – prescriptions have been written by prescribers from different medical practices. Medium Risk – prescriptions have been written by prescribers from the same medical practice.
OMT concurrent supply	This alert is generated at the time of prescribing and dispensing. This alert is NOT generated when a prescriber holds a CHO approval to prescribe controlled medicines with OMT.	A patient with a current or recent CHO approval for Opioid Maintenance Treatment (OMT) is prescribed or dispensed any of the following: Schedule 4 benzodiazepines Z drugs (zolpidem or zopiclone) Opioids Risk levels are determined as: High Risk – prescriptions have been written by prescribers from a different medical practice to where the OMT approval is held. Medium Risk – prescriptions have been written by prescribers from the same medical practice to where the OMT approval is held.
Patient safety notice	This alert is generated when a Patient Safety Notice exists in Canberra Script under the patient profile.	ACT Health has issued a notice in response to the person being identified as seeking monitored medicines from multiple health professionals.

Pop-up notifications

With integrated software

Notifications are the red, amber or green messages that pop-up on a prescriber or pharmacist’s screen when you are prescribing or dispensing a medicine that is monitored in Canberra Script.

This functionality requires compatible dispensing or prescribing software that is integrated with Canberra Script. Pop-up notifications warn you when medium and high-risk scenarios are detected within Canberra Script.

You can click on the notification to access the Canberra Script portal. Here you can view the patient’s monitored medicine history and any CHO approvals associated with the patient.

Green pop-up notifications do not require any action. These will fade away after a few seconds. Amber and red pop-up notifications will display until the prescriber or pharmacist clicks on the notification.

Icon	Notification colour	Notification text
	Green	There are no prescribing/dispensing records in Canberra Script for ‘Patient Name’ within the last 90 days.
	Green	Medicines prescribed to ‘Patient Name’ within the last 90 days are from the same prescriber or the same medical practice.
	Amber	Medicines prescribed to ‘Patient Name’ within the last 90 days involve more than 1 prescriber at different medical practices. Check Canberra Script for more information.
	Amber	The medicines prescribed or supplied to ‘Patient Name’ within the last 90 days have resulted in a potentially medium-risk situation that requires review. Check Canberra Script for more information.
	Red	The medicines prescribed or supplied to ‘Patient Name’ within the last 90 days have resulted in a potentially high-risk situation that requires review. Check Canberra Script for more information.