Pharmacists and Sunrise EMR & PAS

Many public hospitals and healthcare facilities in South Australia use SA Health’s electronic medical record, Sunrise EMR, to manage and document patient care.

The system is widely used in both metropolitan and regional locations – view a list of sites using the electronic medical record.

In addition to improving clinical and administrative processes, Sunrise EMR delivers improvements to medication management by generating prescriptions via the EMR system which are maintained within the patient electronic medical record.

As a pharmacist working in the community, it is possible you may be presented with Sunrise-generated prescriptions for dispensing by customers.

Sunrise-generated prescriptions

  • In some instances, dosing instructions on Sunrise-generated prescriptions may appear in an unfamiliar format – download the Sunrise EMR & PAS for Community Pharmacists fact sheet (PDF 254KB) to view an example.
  • Each Sunrise-generated prescription is printed (in duplicate) and must also include the prescriber’s handwritten signature as shown in the Sunrise EMR & PAS for Community Pharmacists fact sheet (PDF 254KB).
  • Sunrise EMR generates both printed PBS and non-PBS prescriptions.
  • Sunrise-generated prescriptions are compliant with the Australian Government Active Ingredient Prescribing (PDF 348KB) legislation that came into effect on 1 February 2021.
  • Sunrise prescriptions are approved by Medicare and can be dispensed at community pharmacies.
  • Sunrise-generated prescriptions are not integrated with a Prescription Exchange Service (PES) and therefore will not appear in ScriptCheckSA.

    • For information about monitored drug prescriptions generated from Sunrise, contact the SA Health Drugs of Dependence Unit (DDU) on 1300 652 584 or via email HealthDrugsofDependenceUnit@sa.gov.au

    • Clinicians should be aware that Sunrise EMR prescription data for monitored drugs is submitted to the DDU retrospectively (e.g. at the end of each fortnight) and is not real-time data.

Pharmacists are advised to contact the SA Health hospital or healthcare site where the prescription was generated and speak to the prescriber if they are unsure about any information contained on a prescription.

If it is not possible to contact the prescriber, contact the hospital's Pharmacy Department directly.

Sunrise and My Health Record 

Sunrise EMR is state-based patient electronic medical record that is different to the federal government’s My Health Record; however, they do overlap in some instances. If you would like to know more, view information for GPs.

Patient privacy in Sunrise

Sunrise EMR keeps patient medical information private and secure, and it is not possible to opt out of the system – view information for patients, families and community

Further information

Further information about Sunrise EMR can also be found on the SA Health’s website at www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/sunrise or email HealthEMR@sa.gov.au.