FILLING YOUR PRESCRIPTIONS NOW AS EASY AS UBER EATS

7 September, 2020 

A new Australian app is set to make fulfilling prescription medications as simple as ordering a meal from Uber Eats. Launched in July this year, Medmate is a secure app designed by Australian doctors and pharmacists to overcome the difficulties many patients experience getting to a pharmacy to fill their prescriptions. 

“Medmate is the first app in Australia that is able to process prescriptions electronically for home medicine delivery, said Medmate Managing Director and CEO, Dr Ganesh Naidoo. “Our platform allows patients to order medications and general pharmacy items from their chosen pharmacy listed in the app without ever needing to leave home. The service is free for patients and medication prices are matched or similar to major discount chemists with many pharmacies offering free delivery to their local patients,” added Dr Naidoo. “As a GP, I know many people struggle to get to a doctor and visit a pharmacy because they live in regional or isolated areas, are too unwell to travel, or are simply too busy. Medmate cuts out all the inconveniences that go with filling scripts,” Dr Naidoo said. 

The new app is ushering in the future of script conversion by integrating e-script technology introduced by The Commonwealth Department of Health in late October 2019. E-scripts are now an option built into doctors’ prescribing software and they act legally as an alternative to paper scripts. Patients can choose to receive the digital script token via SMS or email. “Other medication management apps still require you to visit a pharmacy to drop off paper scripts. With Medmate, that step is entirely removed, saving you time and further breaking down the barriers to medication adherence.” 

With COVID-19 rapidly accelerating the use of telehealth and online medication sales in Australia and around the world, the need for streamlining the healthcare experience has never been greater. In June this year, there were 4.7 million telehealth consultations in Australia, up from 1.3 million in March1 – a trend that is likely here to stay. “When the pandemic began, we saw the need for script fulfillment and dispensing to rapidly transform in line with the changing times. We wanted to ensure people could get access to the medications they needed, from their preferred healthcare providers, while feeling safe and secure,” said Dr Naidoo. 

The app also allows users to: 

• book face-to-face or telehealth doctor appointments to get scripts 

• order medications from a local pharmacy 

• track medications with medication reminders and automated script refilling 

• manage medications for family members 

• download e-referrals for services such as pathology and radiology 

When it comes to privacy and data security, Medmate abides by strict national standards for the secure encryption and transfer of health information between doctors, patients, and pharmacists. 

To date, the Australian health-tech start-up has partnered with 1,070 GP clinics and approximately 5,000 prescribers in Victoria and is piloting the technology in six Melbourne suburbs prior to national rollout. The company’sroadmap involves digitally enabling over 1000 supporting community pharmacies by the end of the year. 

To download the app, visit www.medmate.com.au

 -ENDS-

Wael Hanna (Chief of Pharmacy) 

0411124960 

wael@medmate.com.au 

Medmate’s mission is to empower healthcare consumers with choice, value and convenience. Medmate is a first to market national healthcare platform providing a complete end to end digital solution for distribution of medication directly to patients. 

1 https://coh.centre.uq.edu.au/telehealth-and-coronavirus-medicare-benefits-schedule-mbs-activity-australia