Quick intro
A mobile intermediary system is a software product that a mobile application uses to connect to, and interact with, the National Prescription Delivery Service (NPDS) and/or Active Script List Registry (ASLR).
The following process will assist mobile intermediary system software developers to connect to the NPDS and/or ASLR and declare software conformance with the Agency’s electronic prescribing technical framework.
1: Connect with the NPDS and/or ASLR
A mobile intermediary system may connect to either Open PDS or ASLR Services or both.
Please contact the NPDS and/or ASLR provider to gain access to test environments and interface technical specifications to connect to their service. Contact details are available below.
| NPDS | eRX Script Exchange | E: [email protected] |
| ASLR Services | My Script List | E: [email protected] |
2: Develop your product
Within the Technical Framework Documents, identify the requirements that apply to your product in the Electronic Prescribing – Conformance Profile.
To assist your development and testing, refer to the Electronic Prescribing –Conformance Test Specifications (CTS) and test data.
Commence developing your product using the interface technical specifications and test environment provided by the NPDS and/or ASLR provider.
3: Conduct internal testing
Conduct a self-assessment against the applicable requirements and your own internal testing.
4: Complete the Conformance Test Specification
Complete the CTS and submit to the NPDS and/or ASLR provider.
Please ensure the CTS for your product is completed in full, with:
- the relevant test outcomes (pass, fail, N/A) recorded against each test case
- a corresponding reason documented for any test marked as N/A
- completed Test Summary Report worksheet
- relevant evidence for each test outcome including screenshots, recordings, documentation or other.
5: Conduct conformance assessment
The NPDS or ASLR provider will conduct your conformance assessment observation session.
The purpose of this session is to verify the results recorded in your submitted CTS and validate any further information requested by the NPDS or ASLR provider.
The NPDS or ASLR provider will help you determine if you are ready to undergo observation and will schedule the session at a mutually agreed time.
In addition to your observed conformance assessment, the NPDS or ASLR provider may request further evidence for specific test cases to ensure the record of the test is full and accurate.
6: Declare conformance
Complete the Electronic Prescribing – Conformance Vendor Declaration form after the observed conformance assessment is successfully completed. Email your form to [email protected]. Please ensure that:
- you have completed all relevant information, such as inclusion of companion software details in section 1.3. Companion software may include PDS adaptor(s), workflow engine(s), mobile gateway(s), etc.
- the entry in the 'Connection name' field for the National PDS your software product is integrated with is not required. We recognise that this is the NPDS, eRx.
- the entry in the ‘Connection name’ field for the ASLR your software product is integrated with is not required. We recogise that this is Medication Knowledge.
- the information in the form matches the information in the Test Summary Report tab in the final CTS.
Note:
The Conformance ID requested in the form is a string of no more than 36 printable characters containing a text string representing the product name, a single character delimiter (“|”) and an alphanumeric string representing the software product version. As the Conformance ID may help with issue identification and is used to manage participation, it is strongly advised that you declare accurate version information. It is, however, recognised that some software products update version information regularly and in response to changes that do not impact electronic prescribing functionality. For this reason, software vendors may ascertain for themselves the granularity of version information declared in the Conformance ID and the occasions at which it is declared.
If the Agency identifies any issues in your submission, then the Agency will inform you directly.
Upon successful processing, you will be notified by the Agency directly and your product will be added to the register of conformance. This register is communicated by the Agency to Services Australia, State and Territory health departments and PDS providers for operational purposes.
7: Deploy updated product
Once you have received a notification that your product has been included on the list of conformant products, you may commence deploying electronic prescribing functionality into production.
Conclusion
You should now be able to gain conformance with the Agency’s electronic prescribing technical framework for your mobile intermediary. If you need any further assistance, please contact [email protected].