Understanding Online Scripts and How They Help

By now, you may have tried using telemedicine at least once. Over the course of the pandemic, having medical appointments over the phone became the norm as lockdowns and quarantine requirements restricted people’s mobility and the fear of contracting the virus from a healthcare facility kept people away. The pandemic played a huge role in the widespread acceptance of telemedicine, but the truth is that people have been using some form of telemedicine for years. Whether to order scripts online or to get a quick consultation with a doctor over the phone, telemedicine has been a popular form of getting quick and easy medical advice without having to Google your symptoms.

What is telemedicine?

Telemedicine refers to any kind of medical advice you get over the phone, online or on a video call. This may or may not include getting a prescription, an online medical certificate or online specialist referral, or even a pathology request. At Prime Medic, you get to talk to a doctor online via video call about any kind of non-life-threatening medical questions, get a repeat prescription for your chronic illness, a quick and convenient medical certificate for sick or carer’s leave, a new specialist referral or change or repeat an existing specialist referral or even get a legitimate referral for a pathology or radiology. Paperless and highly convenient, telemedicine is taking over the world due to the ease it offers.

How do online scripts work?

Anonline script works much like a prescription from an in-person doctor, except that they’re much easier to get. At Prime Medic, all you need to do is sign in to the app or website, select the medication you require a prescription for and fill in a short questionnaire about your medical history and health. This questionnaire will be reviewed by one of our online GPs and they may request a quick online gp consultation to confirm some details. Once you’ve successfully consulted with one of our professional, AHPRA registered doctors, your PrimeScript will be faxed and emailed to your nominated pharmacy for you to pick up.

Can you get prescriptions online?

Certainly! While most online prescription services are only authorised to prescribe medication that has already been previously prescribed by an in-person doctor, by booking an online consultation with Prime Medic, you can get an online doctor to write you a script for the medication you need without having to see a doctor in person. It is important to remember, however, that we cannot and will not prescribe any Schedule 8 controlled drugs, even if they have been prescribed by your doctor before.

Some common medications that an online doctor can prescribe include contraceptives, antibiotics, high blood pressure medication, cholesterol medication, diabetes medication, anti-allergics and more.

Are online scripts legit?

At Prime Medic, all of our doctors are AHPRA (Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency) registered, which means any prescription written by them is considered legitimate and authentic. An online script faxed or emailed to your pharmacy will be treated exactly the same way as a physical script from a brick and mortar clinic. It is important to only visit telehealth providers that are both AHPRA and HIPAA regulated to ensure you get medical advice and prescriptions from carefully monitored online healthcare apps.

How do I order a script online?

It’s easy to order an online script from Prime Medic! Simply follow the steps below:

- Log on to your Prime Medic app or login from our website.
- Select the service you need; in this case, an online prescription.
- Select the speciality you need medication for.
- Select your desired medication.
- Select the nearest pharmacy to you.
- Pay a small fee (A$19.99). You have three payment options: Medicare (bulk billed), Private Health Insurance, and No Insurance (pay through card).
- Have a quick consultation with a registered doctor to confirm details.
- Once satisfied, the doctor will fax/email/post your prescription to the pharmacy you selected.
- Collect your medication from the pharmacy whenever convenient for you.

Why are online scripts helpful?

All of the above steps combined (minus the collection of the medication) should take you no more than 10 to 15 minutes in total. This is a significant amount of time saved from the hour or two you can expect to spend getting a repeat prescription the traditional way! That would involve booking an appointment with your local GP, travelling to and from the clinic and waiting up to an hour in the clinic to be seen, only for a five to ten minute appointment for the medication you already know you need. Plus, think of all the money you save when you aren’t taking time off work to make it to your appointment or getting fuel. Moreover, with bulk-billed appointments, the only money you’re going to be spending with an online consultation is the actual cost of the medication and nothing else!

For many chronic illness sufferers, it can be hassle having to book an appointment and see a doctor to get a repeat prescription every few months.Ordering scripts online offer such individuals an easier and quicker way to get access to their medication without having to go out of their way to do so.

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