The following is a message from the Tracked Prescription Program (TPP):
The Tracked Prescription Program (TPP) steering committee approved the use of PrescribeIT for methadone prescribing in September 2020, waiving the requirement for a TPP form to be used for this medication.
At their May 4, 2023, meeting, the TPP steering committee will consider a request from Canada Health Infoway to broaden the exemption from the use of TPP secure prescription forms to include all Type 1 TPP drugs prescribed electronically using PrescribeIT.
Understanding that some Alberta prescriber and pharmacy workflows are already using PrescribeIT for TPP Type 1 drug prescribing, the TPP steering committee has granted interim approval to allow this prescribing procedure to continue to minimize risk of interruptions to patient care.
Prescribers and pharmacies connected with PrescribeIT may temporarily continue to use the system for electronic prescribing of TPP-monitored medications without requiring the use of a TPP form. Further updates and guidance will be issued following TPP steering committee’s deliberations in May.
Interim exemption from use of secure TPP Alberta prescription forms, for Type 1 TPP-monitored drugs, is permitted if the following conditions are met:
- both the prescriber and pharmacy are PrescribeIT enabled and using PrescribeIT system-to-system communications, and
- the patient has choice of the pharmacy at which their prescription(s) is filled (i.e., patients must not be directed to only PrescribeIT-enabled pharmacies).
