Introduction

COVID-positive status can be confirmed via a rapid antigen test (RAT) or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. When a positive home RAT result is reported and antiviral treatment is being considered, the RAT must be "medically verified" before commencement of treatment.

The Department of Health has confirmed that where GPs have a ongoing trusted relationship with their patient, verbal confirmation or a photo of the RAT result are both appropriate methods of confirmation. If the GP is not familiar with the patient and/or is in doubt, evidence such as a photo of a RAT or evidence of a PCR result (which may be accessible via My Health Record) should be requested. Referal via state/territory based triage services (for example, healthdirect) is also adequate. In any scenario, the mode of proof should be documented in the patient's medical record.

Telehealth consultations will be sufficient in many cases to determine if treatment is appropriate, including via normal after-hours medical deputising services (see information on MBS phone items below). It is recommended medical deputising GPs and nurse practitioners work in partnership with the usual treating GP or physician to determine if treatment is appropriate.

A prescription needs to be issued for the medicine to be administered. When medicines have been pre-placed in RACFs and ACCHOs, the recommendation for recording and dispensing prescriptions is to follow the same process for other orders when medicines that are held in stock are issued (for example, antibiotics). Some RACFs and ACCHOs will do this differently, and how prescriptions are handled, and the medicines allocated, will depend on the local processes in place, and local state or territory requirements.

While clinical information systems (CIS) are being updated to include these medicines and expanded eligibility, they may not initially appear for prescribing purposes. In the interim you can still prescribe the medicines in your CIS by creating a custom medicine entry. It is important to note that the in-built medicine interaction and medical condition checker will not work, and you will need to be aware of the risks and contraindications as outlined in the product information for each medicine, and as per the University of Liverpool’s COVID-19 drug interactions checker.

The two treatments should not be prescribed for the same person at the same time.

Two temporary MBS items have been introduced to support medical practitioners with treating COVID-19 positive patients. Items 93716 (for GPs) and 93717 (for other medical practitioners) are available to assess a patient’s suitability to receive a prescription for a COVID-19 oral antiviral treatment via a telehealth phone consultation lasting at least 20 minutes for GPs and 25 minutes for OMPs. The items are temporary and will be available from 19 July 2022 until 31 December 2022. The items are for eligible Medicare patients nationally who have confirmed their COVID-19 infection via a laboratory test (PCR) or by a rapid antigen test (RAT).

Visit MBS Online for more information.

As with all medicines, patients or carers will need to provide informed consent for these medicines to be prescribed. GPs working with patients in RACFs or those at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19, may find it helpful to pre-emptively discuss these medicines with their patients, even if they do not have COVID-19, to determine eligibility criteria and obtain pre-consent for these medicines to be prescribed in the event they test positive for COVID-19.

A subsequent discussion is advised at the point at which the patient requires the medicine to confirm the pre-consent is still applicable.