THE ELECTRONIC PRESCRIPTION: HOW IT WORKS AND WHAT THE LAW SAYS
The electronic prescription has revolutionized healthcare in Greece, transforming the way medications are prescribed and administered. This innovative system allows doctors to issue digital prescriptions that can be fulfilled at any pharmacy without the need for a paper prescription. (ηλεκτρονικό φαρμακείο)
Evolution of the Electronic Prescription System
The implementation of electronic prescriptions commenced in 2003 but gained effective traction in 2015, gradually expanding across all autonomous communities. Despite the complexity of the system in Madrid, it has now been fully incorporated, making it the last autonomous community to join the electronic prescribing network.
How Electronic Prescriptions Work
The official electronic clinical prescription of the Public Health System facilitates the prescription of multiple medications or health products. Pharmacies, in turn, use a straightforward process to serve clients with electronic prescriptions:
Insert Health Card:
- The client inserts their health card into the system, allowing the pharmacy to automatically retrieve the electronic prescription details on the computer screen.
Medication Dispensation:
- The pharmacist proceeds to dispense the prescribed medication.
Prescription Tracking:
- The system tracks the prescriptions leaving the pharmacy, ensuring a streamlined process.
Administering Prescriptions from Different Autonomous Communities
Clients entering a pharmacy must present an updated health card with an active magnetic stripe. This enables the sale of prescribed medications from anywhere in the public territory. However, the cardholder must specify the location of the prescription's issuance.
According to RD 1718/2010, the patient information sheet may be separate from the prescription and constitute an independent version. Clients are not obligated to present the active drug sheet and patient information when requesting prescriptions from different autonomous communities. https://www.ilovepharmacy.gr/
Dealing with Technical Issues
In cases of interoperability issues causing technical glitches in data exchange between locations, pharmacies can contact support centers of the Public Health System. This ensures access to the list of medications for appropriate dispensation, minimizing inconvenience for clients.
Confidentiality of Patient Data
The success of electronic prescription administration in Greece, exceeding 97%, has generated a vast amount of client and patient data. However, stringent security measures have been implemented to safeguard this information:
- According to the provisions of Organic Law 15/1999 on the protection of personal data, patient information can only be accessed in the pharmacy where they seek a specific prescription.
- The law explicitly prohibits storing patient data on servers other than those designated by health organizations for billing purposes.
The widespread adoption of electronic prescriptions has not only streamlined healthcare processes but has also significantly reduced the administrative burden in primary care by 20% to 30%, contributing to the overall efficiency of the public health system. (κατασκευή ιστοσελίδων)
