Finalise Prescriptions

In Communicare V20.2 and later, you can finalise prescriptions to generate a script number without printing out prescriptions. If required, you can then print the prescriptions.

Note: To finalise prescriptions, you must be a prescriber and have a prescriber number.

To finalise prescriptions and generate a script number:

In the clinical record, on the Summary > Medication Summary tab, click Finalise Prescriptions.

Tip: Alternatively, on the Medication Summary tab or Detail tab, right-click on a medication and select Finalise prescriptions.
In the Finalise Prescriptions window, all current medications that have not been finalised or printed are listed and automatically selected. In the Finalise prescriptions step, deselect any medications in the table that you don't want to finalise.
If medication requests are enabled for your health service, and you want to create a medication request, you can either do so now or after you finalise the medications from the Medication Summary tab.

Tip: You cannot create medication requests for back-dated services.

If you want to create a medication request now:
1. In the Create a medication request? step, set Yes.
  - The patient's current medications that were included in a previous medication request are listed with a status of Existing.
  - Any new medications selected in the Finalise prescriptions step are listed with a status of New.
  - Medications included in a DAA are grouped by DAA type and assigned a number.
  - All active regular medications, DAA medications and medications that are included in the current, active request are selected by default.
  - For medications that are already finalised, the number of the prescription to which the medication belongs is displayed.
2. Deselect any medications that you don't want to include in the new medication request.
3. If you are arranging supply of the patient-specific medication, from the Pickup Location list, select the location from which the patient will collect their medication. If the pickup location is already set in the clinical record Medication Summary, that location is included in the medication request automatically. If the current encounter place is a nominated medication pickup location, it is selected as the pickup location by default. For more information, see Encounter Place.
If you now want to print:
1. In the Do you need to print today? step, set Yes.
2. From the What do you need to print? list, select what you want to print:
  - To print finalised prescriptions to separate PBS scripts, set PBS Scripts.
    Note: Medications included in a medication request cannot be printed as a PBS script.
  - To print the new medication request, set Medication Request Form.
    Tip: If consolidated orders are enabled for your health service, you can't print medications included in a medication request to a PBS script.
Click Finalise.

If you chose to print, the PBS Scripts and medication request are printed. If your printer assignment is set to PDF, and you chose to print both PBS Scripts and the medication request, two Save PDF File As windows are displayed, one after the other. Enter a name for each PDF file. A single PBS Script listing all PBS items is saved first, followed by the medication request.

Any medications that were not finalised, but were included in the new medication request are finalised when the medication request is created.

If you chose to create a medication request, it supersedes any previous medication requests and is listed in the Medication Requests window with a status of Active.

For medications that were finalised only, if custom prescription forms are enabled, and you chose to print the prescriptions, they are printed using your own template, otherwise they are printed on preprinted PBS forms.

If you created a medication request and your health service uses consolidated orders, you can now create a consolidated order.

To print prescriptions later that have already been finalised, in the clinical record on either the Summary > Medication Summary tab or the Detail tab, right-click a medication and select Reprint Prescriptions.

If you chose not to print the medication request when you finalised the medications, you can print it later from the Medication Requests window. For more information, see Medication Requests.