Managing a medicinal cannabis practice in Australia involves more than clinical knowledge. Health professionals must balance regulatory compliance, secure patient management, billing, and referrals, all while delivering quality care.
This article explores the common challenges in medicinal cannabis practice management and shows how platforms such as OnePhenix can support clinicians in streamlining their workflows.
1. Navigating Complex Regulations
Medicinal cannabis prescribing is governed by strict requirements. Products are typically Schedule 8 or Schedule 4 controlled substances, and prescribers must comply with Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) approval pathways.
- SAS-B pathway: Requires case-by-case approval for each patient and product (RACGP).
- Authorised Prescriber pathway: Requires Human Research Ethics Committee or specialist college endorsement.
- State/Territory rules: For example, in Victoria, SafeScript real-time prescription monitoring is mandatory before Schedule 8 prescribing (Health Vic).
For many GPs, the time burden of regulatory paperwork is significant. With OnePhenix, authorised prescriber letters and six-monthly reports can be generated automatically, reducing manual work while ensuring compliance.
2. Managing Patient Records and Documentation
Maintaining accurate patient records is essential but challenging when information is fragmented. Histories, approvals, and eScripts must be securely stored and audit-ready.
Challenges include:
- Inconsistent documentation across systems.
- Lack of templates for referrals and medical certificates.
- Higher risk of errors during audits.
A survey of Australian GPs found that 66.9% felt they lacked sufficient knowledge about prescribing medicinal cannabis and often struggled with documentation requirements.
OnePhenix centralises patient records into one secure platform, with templates that can be customised to each practice.
3. Prescriptions and Controlled Substance Monitoring
Prescribing medicinal cannabis requires vigilance. eScripts improve efficiency, but controlled substances add layers of monitoring.
Key challenges include:
- Validating eScripts with Services Australia.
- Monitoring Schedule 8 prescriptions via systems like SafeScript.
- Staying informed about product availability.
OnePhenix integrates directly with Services Australia for secure eScripts and, in partnership with KarmaPharma as the online pharmacy, provides a live medicinal cannabis product database The Compendium to support prescribers in making informed and compliant decisions.
4. Billing and Reimbursement
Billing for medicinal cannabis consultations is often complex, as patients may be billed under Medicare, DVA, or privately. Manual claims and revenue tracking slow down workflows.
Barriers include:
- Time-consuming claim submissions.
- Difficulty reconciling payments.
- Poor visibility of revenue trends.
OnePhenix simplifies billing with Tyro, supporting Medicare, DVA, and private billing. Secure payments via Zai payment gateway, credit card, or digital links help reduce unpaid invoices, while built-in reporting improves financial oversight.
5. Referrals and Specialist Collaboration
Many patients require referrals to specialists or allied health professionals. Traditional referral processes are slow, often relying on fax or mail.
Challenges include:
- Limited access to a central directory of specialists.
- Manual re-entry of patient information.
- Lack of referral tracking.
The Cannabis as Medicine Survey (CAMS-18) highlights the importance of multi-disciplinary care in patient pathways.
OnePhenix provides a secure eReferral system with an Australia-wide specialist directory. Referrals are auto-populated with patient data and tracked in real time.
6. Balancing Administration with Patient Care
GPs consistently report that administrative burdens reduce their ability to focus on patients. One study found that clinicians identified time constraints and complex processes as barriers to prescribing medicinal cannabis.
With OnePhenix, telehealth, scheduling, rostering, billing, and reporting are centralised in one system. By reducing manual admin, doctors can dedicate more time to their clinical role.
7. Data Security and Compliance
Protecting sensitive health records is both a legal requirement and a patient expectation. With the rise of telehealth and digital prescribing, strong cybersecurity is critical.
Challenges include:
- Hosting data in compliance with Australian regulations.
- Protecting against cyber threats.
- Securing communications and eScripts with encryption.
OnePhenix is hosted on AWS Sydney with end-to-end encryption and DDoS protection, ensuring compliance with Australian standards and safeguarding patient data.
Streamline Medicinal Cannabis Practice Management with OnePhenix
Medicinal cannabis practice management involves navigating complex requirements in compliance, patient records, prescriptions, billing, referrals, and data security. These demands can place significant pressure on health professionals and their teams.
OnePhenix is designed to reduce this burden by automating compliance reporting, integrating eScripts validated via Services Australia, simplifying billing, and providing secure telehealth and referral functions in a single platform. By streamlining these processes, doctors and clinics can work more efficiently while maintaining the highest professional standards.
Discover how OnePhenix can support your practice. Explore the platform today and see how it can simplify medicinal cannabis management for health professionals.