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PBS Authority Scripts - Approving Authority Scripts in Lyrebird

How to use PBS Authority Scripts inside Lyrebird to approve PBS authority prescriptions without leaving the consult. Save, Sync, Submit.

PBS Authority Scripts lets you approve PBS authority prescriptions from inside the Lyrebird sidebar - no portal tab, no hold music, no re-typing patient details. Sign in to PRODA once for the day and get approvals back in seconds.

The one rule to remember: Save, Sync, Submit.

Save the script in Best Practice, Sync it into Lyrebird, then Submit the authority. Saving the script in Bp locks in the Authority Form Number. If you do not save first, Bp regenerates that number every time the authority screen is opened, and the number in Lyrebird will not match the number on your printed script.

What does this do?

When a medication requires a PBS authority, the usual process means stopping the consult and either logging in to the PRODA portal - with two-step verification, manual data entry, and a session that times out in five minutes - or calling the authority line and waiting on hold.

PBS Authority Scripts brings that process into Lyrebird. Patient and prescriber details sync from Bp, restriction questions are shown in full, and the approval number comes back in the panel ready to copy. The consult doesn't stop.

Before you start: You need a working PRODA account through Services Australia. Lyrebird uses your existing PRODA credentials - it doesn't create one for you. You also need Lyrebird connected to Bp and your clinic must be running a recent version of Best Practice to use Sync to Bp. If you haven't connected Lyrebird to Bp yet, see How Can I Enable Lyrebird on Bp & Link My Account?

If your clinic's Best Practice version doesn't yet support Sync to Bp, Lyrebird will display a plain-language message explaining that Best Practice needs to be updated. Share this message with your practice's IT support or software administrator so they can schedule the update — there's no need to contact Lyrebird support first.

Step-by-Step Guide

Part 1: Connect to PRODA

You only need to do this once per day. Once connected, your session stays open across all authority scripts for the rest of the clinic.

  1. Open the Authority Scripts tab

    1. Start a consult in Lyrebird from within Bp

    2. In the Lyrebird sidebar, click the Authority Scripts tab

  2. Log in to PRODA

    1. Click Login to PRODA (OAuth)

    2. Enter your PRODA username and password

    3. Enter your one-time MFA code from your authenticator app

    4. Once authenticated, you'll see PRODA connected in the panel, and you're ready to go

Part 2: Save the script in Best Practice

This part happens entirely in Bp, before you open the Authority Scripts tab in Lyrebird. It is the step that guarantees your Authority Form Number will match.

  1. Write the script in Bp

    1. Skip this step if the patient already has an existing authority prescription for the medication. There is no need to re-write it - go straight to step 2 and open the authority details on the existing script

    2. Otherwise, add the medication that needs a PBS authority to the patient's script as you normally would

    3. The authority number field will be empty at this point

  2. Open the authority details

    1. Tick the medication so the authority details screen appears, or right click the medication and choose Edit authority

    2. Review and select the appropriate authority details for the medication before saving

  3. Click Save

    1. Click Save on the authority details screen

    2. This locks the Authority Form Number in Bp. From this point the number will not change, no matter how many times you tick or untick the medication

    3. Do not skip this step and do not leave the authority details screen open instead of saving it

Part 3: Sync the script and get the approval

  1. Sync the script into Lyrebird

    1. Return to the Lyrebird sidebar and click Synchronise with Bp

    2. The medication you just saved will appear in the panel with patient and prescriber details already filled in from Bp - no re-typing required

    3. Select the medication from the list to continue

  2. Check the Authority Form Number matches Bp

    1. Before submitting, confirm the Authority Form Number shown in Lyrebird is the same as the one on the script in Bp

    2. If it does not match, do not submit. Follow What to do if the Authority Form Number doesn't match below

  3. Answer the restriction questions

    1. Lyrebird shows the PBS restriction questions for that medication, with the full indication text displayed

    2. Select the appropriate indication and answer the questions

    3. Click Submit

  4. Receive the approval number

    1. The approval comes back in the panel within seconds

    2. Click Copy approval number

    3. If the request is declined, the reason is shown in the panel so you can act on it without going to the portal

  5. Paste the number into Bp and print

    1. Go back to Bp and open the authority details on the script

    2. Paste the approval number into the Authority No. field

    3. Print the script as normal
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What to do if the Authority Form Number doesn't match

If the Authority Form Number in Lyrebird is different to the number on the script in Bp, do not submit the authority. An approval issued against the wrong form number will not be valid for the script you print.

Why this happens

Best Practice generates a new Authority Form Number each time the authority details screen is opened on an unsaved script. Until you click Save, that number keeps changing, so the number Lyrebird syncs will not stay in step with Bp. This is existing Bp behaviour rather than something Lyrebird is doing to the script. We have raised it with Best Practice and will update this article when it changes.

It is most common on patients who already have an existing authority medication. It does not usually happen on a brand new authority.

How to fix it

  1. In Bp, click Save on the script

  2. Untick and then re-tick the medication so the authority details screen reappears. The number in Bp should now stay the same

  3. Back out of the authority menu in Lyrebird

  4. Click Synchronise with Bp to re-sync

  5. Confirm the numbers now match, then submit the authority

Save first, every time. The mismatch is avoidable. If you open the authority details, click Save, and only then open the Authority Scripts tab in Lyrebird, the correct Authority Form Number is displayed from the start and no re-syncing is needed.

Tips for Best Results

  • Save, Sync, Submit. Save the script in Bp before you open the Authority Scripts tab in Lyrebird, sync it across, then submit the authority
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  • Always write the script in Bp first - or open the existing authority script - then sync into Lyrebird using Synchronise with Bp. This is what pulls the medication details across without any manual entry
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  • The Authority Scripts list shows the patient's prescribed medications, not only the ones that require a PBS authority. Select the medication you are seeking authority for from that list
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  • If you add a new medication to the script mid-consult, save it in Bp, then click Synchronise with Bp again to pull the updated list through
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  • If your PRODA session has expired (shown as Session expired in the panel), click Login to PRODA (OAuth) and re-authenticate to carry on where you left off
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  • If a request is declined, the reason appears in the panel. You can adjust your answers and resubmit without leaving Lyrebird - if asked to override, you can do so and resubmit directly
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  • PBS Authority Scripts works for any medication on the PBS authority system. The restriction questions shown are specific to the medication you have selected
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We're here to help if you have any questions. Reach out to our support team for a same-day response at [email protected] or click the blue chat widget on the right.

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