E-prescription: When is mandatory & how does it work? All information for doctors and patients
The e-prescription was introduced on January 1, 2024 and promises numerous benefits for patients, doctors and pharmacists. At the same time, however, there are also uncertainties. How does the e-prescription work? How can it be exhibited? How do patients receive the prescription and can they also refuse it? We answer these and many other questions from doctors and patients in this article.
The most important questions about e-prescriptions at a glance:
Das E-Rezept funktioniert ab 2024 in der Regel folgendermaßen:
- Verschreibung durch den Arzt: Der Arzt erstellt das Rezept elektronisch in seinem Praxisverwaltungssystem (PVS) und signiert es digital mit seinem elektronischen Heilberufsausweis (eHBA) der zweiten Generation.
- Übermittlung an die Apotheke: Das elektronische Rezept wird dann sicher über die Telematikinfrastruktur (TI) an die Apotheke übertragen.
- Bearbeitung in der Apotheke: In der Apotheke wird das E-Rezept empfangen und verarbeitet. Der Apotheker kann die verschriebenen Medikamente anhand des elektronischen Rezepts ausgeben.
- Einlösung durch den Patienten: Der Patient kann die verschriebenen Medikamente in der Apotheke abholen, indem er sich mit seiner elektronischen Gesundheitskarte (eGK) oder einer E-Rezept-App identifiziert.
- Optionaler Ausdruck: In einigen Fällen kann der Arzt das E-Rezept auch ausdrucken und dem Patienten aushändigen, beispielsweise für Pflegeheimbewohner oder in anderen besonderen Situationen.
Dies sind grundlegende Schritte des Ablaufs. Die genauen technischen Details und Prozesse können je nach Land und Implementierung variieren.
Wenn jemand kein Smartphone besitzt, um das E-Rezept digital zu empfangen und zu nutzen, gibt es alternative Möglichkeiten:
- Ausdruck des E-Rezepts: Der Patient kann das E-Rezept von der Arztpraxis oder einem anderen autorisierten Ort ausdrucken lassen und es dann in einer Apotheke einreichen.
- Verwendung der elektronischen Gesundheitskarte (eGK): In einigen Fällen können Patienten ihre elektronische Gesundheitskarte (eGK) in der Apotheke vorlegen, um das E-Rezept abzurufen und ihre verschreibungspflichtigen Medikamente zu erhalten.
- Hilfe von Familienmitgliedern oder Betreuern: Wenn der Patient keine Möglichkeit hat, das E-Rezept selbst zu verwalten, können Familienmitglieder oder Betreuer dabei helfen, indem sie das Rezept digital empfangen und die Medikamente abholen.
Ein elektronisches Rezept (E-Rezept) hat eine Gültigkeitsdauer von 28 Tagen ab dem Ausstellungsdatum. Innerhalb dieses Zeitraums muss der Patient das E-Rezept in einer Apotheke einlösen, um die verschriebenen Medikamente zu erhalten. Nach Ablauf der 28-tägigen Gültigkeitsdauer verfällt das E-Rezept und kann nicht mehr verwendet werden.
Einige potenzielle Nachteile des E-Rezepts sind:
- Wie bei jeder digitalen Technologie können technische Störungen auftreten, die den Zugriff auf das E-Rezept beeinträchtigen oder die Übermittlung an die Apotheke verzögern können.
- Patienten, die nicht mit der erforderlichen Technologie vertraut sind oder keinen Zugang dazu haben, könnten Schwierigkeiten haben, E-Rezepte zu erhalten oder einzulösen.
- Es besteht das Potenzial für Sicherheitslücken im Zusammenhang mit der elektronischen Übermittlung von Rezepten, einschließlich Risiken für Fälschungen oder Manipulationen
- Einige Patienten schätzen den persönlichen Kontakt mit ihrem Arzt und dem Apotheker bei der Verschreibung und Einlösung von Medikamenten. Die Einführung von E-Rezepten könnte diesen persönlichen Aspekt verringern.
Nein, die Apotheke kann ein bereits erhaltenes E-Rezept nicht löschen. Einmal übermittelte E-Rezepte sind Teil der elektronischen Patientenakte und können nicht von der Apotheke gelöscht werden. Die Apotheke kann jedoch bestimmte Informationen, wie beispielsweise den Einlösestatus des Rezepts, aktualisieren oder korrigieren, falls erforderlich.
Das E-Rezept wurde ab dem 1. Januar 2024 eingeführt. Dieser Zeitpunkt wurde im Rahmen des Digitalgesetzes als Starttermin für die verpflichtende Nutzung des E-Rezepts festgelegt. Es ist geplant, dass Ärzte ab diesem Datum dazu verpflichtet sind, verschreibungspflichtige Medikamente elektronisch zu verschreiben, anstatt herkömmliche Papierrezepte auszustellen.
Das E-Rezept ist ab dem 1. Januar 2024 verpflichtend.
What does the e-prescription do?
The e-recipe has several advantages, which we present briefly and concisely here:
- Increasing efficiency: It simplifies the entire process of prescribing and redeeming medications by reducing paperwork and speeding up the transfer of prescriptions between medical practices and pharmacies.
- Improved patient care: The electronic availability of prescriptions allows pharmacists and other healthcare providers to quickly access important medical information, which improves patient care and increases drug safety.
- Traceability: E-prescriptions enable better tracking of medications as they are stored digitally in the electronic health record. This makes it easier to monitor a patient's medication history and identify potential interactions or problems.
- Environmental friendliness: Reducing paper also reduces the environmental footprint, leading to a more environmentally friendly practice.
Are doctors required to issue an e-prescription?
Yes, according to federal government plans, doctors will be required to issue e-prescriptions for prescription drugs from January 1, 2024. This is the result of the Digital Act and the associated provisions on digitization in healthcare.
How does the e-prescription work in a doctor's office?
The e-prescription works with the help of a digital prescription solution. First, the doctor needs a practice management system (PVS for short), which is suitable for issuing e-prescriptions. This system must be connected to an updated connector that connects to Telematics infrastructure (TI) is connected and meets the required safety standards.
The doctor identifies the patient using his electronic health card (eGK) and select the appropriate medication. The medication is then prescribed electronically in PVS. The recipe is digitally signed, usually with the help of a personal electronic health professional card (eHBA) of the second generation.
After issuing the e-prescription, the patient can decide whether to redeem the medication at a local pharmacy or online. In the pharmacy, the e-prescription is retrieved in the telematics infrastructure, the medication is issued and the prescription is then marked as “redeemed.”
Can a patient refuse an e-prescription?
In principle, patients have the right to reject the e-prescription and demand a conventional paper prescription instead. However, it could be that some doctors only issue e-prescriptions, especially if the practice is already fully digitized or legal requirements require this.
It is important to note that the e-prescription is part of the digital healthcare infrastructure and aims to improve the process of prescribing and redeeming medicines. It offers various benefits such as faster processing, less paperwork, and improved security. If you still want to refuse the e-prescription, you should discuss this with your doctor and consider alternative solutions for prescribing and redeeming medications.
How does the patient get the e-prescription?
The patient usually receives the e-prescription electronically. After the doctor has created and signed the prescription electronically, it is securely stored in the telematics infrastructure. The patient can then either via an app on his smartphone or via the electronic health card (eGK) access the recipe.
With the e-prescription app on the smartphone, the patient can view and save the prescription and, if necessary, send it to a pharmacy of their choice. Alternatively, he can retrieve the prescription directly from his eGK when he appears in person at a pharmacy.
In some cases, such as with nursing home residents or in other special situations, it may be necessary for the doctor to provide the patient with a printed version of the e-prescription. This is then usually done on white paper and serves as a reference to the electronic prescription in the telematics infrastructure.
Can the doctor see whether an e-prescription has been redeemed?
Yes, doctors can usually use the e-prescription system to track whether an electronic prescription has been redeemed by the pharmacy. This enables better tracking and monitoring of prescriptions.
Conclusion for patients, doctors and pharmacists
The e-prescription offers numerous benefits for patients, doctors and pharmacists. It increases the efficiency of the prescription process by reducing the use of paper recipes and manual processes. This allows patients to receive their medication faster and easier, as the entire process is accelerated and it is easier to go to the pharmacy.
In addition, the e-recipe minimizes errors that can result from handwriting or manual input and offers greater security and better data protection through encrypted transmission and digital signatures. Both doctors and pharmacists can track the status of an e-prescription and ensure that it has been redeemed.
In addition, the use of e-recipes contributes to environmental protection by reducing paper consumption. Overall, the e-prescription promises to modernize the healthcare system and improve patient care through the use of digital technologies.
What does the e-prescription do?
The e-recipe has several advantages, which we present briefly and concisely here:
- Increasing efficiency: It simplifies the entire process of prescribing and redeeming medications by reducing paperwork and speeding up the transfer of prescriptions between medical practices and pharmacies.
- Improved patient care: The electronic availability of prescriptions allows pharmacists and other healthcare providers to quickly access important medical information, which improves patient care and increases drug safety.
- Traceability: E-prescriptions enable better tracking of medications as they are stored digitally in the electronic health record. This makes it easier to monitor a patient's medication history and identify potential interactions or problems.
- Environmental friendliness: Reducing paper also reduces the environmental footprint, leading to a more environmentally friendly practice.
Are doctors required to issue an e-prescription?
Yes, according to federal government plans, doctors will be required to issue e-prescriptions for prescription drugs from January 1, 2024. This is the result of the Digital Act and the associated provisions on digitization in healthcare.
How does the e-prescription work in a doctor's office?
The e-prescription works with the help of a digital prescription solution. First, the doctor needs a practice management system (PVS for short), which is suitable for issuing e-prescriptions. This system must be connected to an updated connector that connects to Telematics infrastructure (TI) is connected and meets the required safety standards.
The doctor identifies the patient using his electronic health card (eGK) and select the appropriate medication. The medication is then prescribed electronically in PVS. The recipe is digitally signed, usually with the help of a personal electronic health professional card (eHBA) of the second generation.
After issuing the e-prescription, the patient can decide whether to redeem the medication at a local pharmacy or online. In the pharmacy, the e-prescription is retrieved in the telematics infrastructure, the medication is issued and the prescription is then marked as “redeemed.”
Can a patient refuse an e-prescription?
In principle, patients have the right to reject the e-prescription and demand a conventional paper prescription instead. However, it could be that some doctors only issue e-prescriptions, especially if the practice is already fully digitized or legal requirements require this.
It is important to note that the e-prescription is part of the digital healthcare infrastructure and aims to improve the process of prescribing and redeeming medicines. It offers various benefits such as faster processing, less paperwork, and improved security. If you still want to refuse the e-prescription, you should discuss this with your doctor and consider alternative solutions for prescribing and redeeming medications.
How does the patient get the e-prescription?
The patient usually receives the e-prescription electronically. After the doctor has created and signed the prescription electronically, it is securely stored in the telematics infrastructure. The patient can then either via an app on his smartphone or via the electronic health card (eGK) access the recipe.
With the e-prescription app on the smartphone, the patient can view and save the prescription and, if necessary, send it to a pharmacy of their choice. Alternatively, he can retrieve the prescription directly from his eGK when he appears in person at a pharmacy.
In some cases, such as with nursing home residents or in other special situations, it may be necessary for the doctor to provide the patient with a printed version of the e-prescription. This is then usually done on white paper and serves as a reference to the electronic prescription in the telematics infrastructure.
Can the doctor see whether an e-prescription has been redeemed?
Yes, doctors can usually use the e-prescription system to track whether an electronic prescription has been redeemed by the pharmacy. This enables better tracking and monitoring of prescriptions.
Conclusion for patients, doctors and pharmacists
The e-prescription offers numerous benefits for patients, doctors and pharmacists. It increases the efficiency of the prescription process by reducing the use of paper recipes and manual processes. This allows patients to receive their medication faster and easier, as the entire process is accelerated and it is easier to go to the pharmacy.
In addition, the e-recipe minimizes errors that can result from handwriting or manual input and offers greater security and better data protection through encrypted transmission and digital signatures. Both doctors and pharmacists can track the status of an e-prescription and ensure that it has been redeemed.
In addition, the use of e-recipes contributes to environmental protection by reducing paper consumption. Overall, the e-prescription promises to modernize the healthcare system and improve patient care through the use of digital technologies.
Robert Adam
Author
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