This guide provides step-by-step instructions on formatting your custom drug list. The fields in this are applicable to both Organisation Upload and Individual Prescribers.
‼️ It is important to follow the naming conventions below to ensure your prescription remains legally valid and compliant with Australian prescribing regulations. Incorrect formatting can lead to errors in dispensing, rejection by pharmacies, or failure to meet legislative requirements. Adhering to the correct structure ensures clarity, reduces the risk of misinterpretation, and supports seamless integration with prescribing and dispensing systems. |
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Steps
The Generic Name is the medicinal product required by law for active ingredient prescribing:
Inclusions
active ingredients
strength of each active ingredient
dosage form
number of doses
Exclusions
Do not include any brand identifiers here
A drug brand/trade name may also be included, but is not mandatory. This replaces the active ingredients with a brand name:
Inclusions
Brand Name
Strength
Dosage Form
Number of Doses
Exclusions
Replace active ingredients with the brand name
The brand name is appended to the prescription and should only include the specific brand of the prescribed drug if applicable. This field is mandatory only if a trade name has been entered. This field is used to append the brand name to a custom script if Prescribe as Brand Name is selected
Below is an example of a prescription where Prescribe as Brand Name is selected for Panadol. By law, most prescriptions must include the active ingredient, so the brand name is appended in brackets at the end:
paracetamol 500 mg tablet, 100 (Panadol)
The Quantity field represents the total number of packs, not individual doses.
For tablets, the quantity reflects the number of tablets in a pack (e.g., atorvastatin comes in packs of 30 tablets, so the quantity = 30).
For forms like inhalers, oils, injections or vials, the quantity is 1 (e.g., Symbicort Turbuhaler or Cannabidiol, as each pack contains a single inhaler or vial of oil).
For multi-pack items, the quantity reflects the total number of units in the pack (e.g., Novorapid comes in packs of 5 pens, so the quantity = 5).
Max Repeats represents the maximum number of repeats legally allowed for a prescription and should be a number only.
Poison Class refers to the schedule under the Australian Poisons Standard that the drug is prescribed under and should be formatted as S4, S8 etc.
Item Form should specify the medication’s form in text (e.g., tablet, capsule, inhaler, solution).
Route of Administration should specify the method by which the medication is administered (e.g., oral, inhalation, subcutaneous, intravenous).
You may also include a description of the drug. While this field is not yet used in Parchment, it may be incorporated in future updates.
This field is optional. However, if you wish to add a custom product ID to assist with matching within your practice management software, you can do so here. This is an alphanumeric field.