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 apractice 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 appon 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.
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