Time to hang up on the PBS authority line, says RACGP
The RACGP says replacing the authority line with a streamlined system will have no impact on patient safety and save GPs' time.
The RACGP has reignited debate over the PBS telephone authority line, declaring it fails to prevent inappropriate prescribing and serves little purpose other than to waste GPs’ time.
Contacting Services Australia’s hotline to request approval for authority drugs has been mandatory for decades – with the process often taking up to five minutes per call.
More recently, GPs have also had the option of using the Health Professional Online Services computer system, although this too creates delays given its lack of integration with GP software.
Now, the RACGP is urging the Federal Government to replace the system, arguing both options could be scrapped “without any impact on safety”.
