Prescription token

A prescription token is the barcode or QR code used to access an electronic prescription. It may be delivered through an SMS or email link, or supplied in a printed form. The token points the pharmacy to the prescription; it is not the medicine itself or proof of dispensing. Australian Digital Health Agency eScript guidance

Keep the current token available

Open the message before visiting the pharmacy so you know it is accessible. Check the patient's details if more than one person uses the device. A screenshot may be convenient, but the pharmacist still needs a valid, readable token and must complete the usual checks.

If your phone has no battery or you cannot access the message, tell the pharmacy or prescriber what has happened. Ask about a supported way to retrieve or print the token. Do not alter a barcode, edit patient details or try to reuse a token that has already been dispensed.

Protect it like health information

Share a token only with the pharmacy or person helping you obtain the prescription. A token can provide access to sensitive information and should not appear in a public social media post or an unprotected help request. Australian Digital Health Agency eScript guidance

If someone else will collect the item, ask the pharmacy what authorisation and identification they need. Forwarding a message does not resolve every consent or dispensing requirement. Keep responsibility for checking the correct patient and prescription clear.

When the token is lost or does not work

Contact the original prescriber for help with a lost original token. For a repeat token issued after dispensing, the dispensing pharmacy may be the appropriate first contact. The exact recovery process depends on the system and prescription status. Australian Digital Health Agency eScript guidance

Read Doccio's explanation of eScripts for the broader process. If the problem is actually that there are no repeats left, retrieving an old token will not authorise another supply. A new clinical assessment may be needed, and a doctor decides whether another prescription is appropriate.