Electronic prescriptions should be widely available in practices by the beginning of next year. From January 1, 2024, it will be mandatory for doctors to issue prescriptions electronically, according to a draft law by the Federal Ministry of Health. Practices should gradually change. Since July 1st there has been a new way of redeeming e-prescriptions, in which you insert your health insurance card into a reader in the pharmacy. By the end of July, 80 percent of pharmacies are expected to be able to offer this additional option.
A nationwide start of electronic prescriptions on a larger scale had been delayed several times, also because of technical problems. Actually, there was an obligation for the practices to do this from the beginning of 2022. The new, simpler redemption method by card should now enable a breakthrough. Before that, e-prescriptions could be redeemed using a smartphone app or a printed QR code instead of the usual pink slip of paper. The National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians had warned against false expectations that e-prescriptions could be issued in all medical practices from July 1st.
Demand for more user-friendliness
The head of the Techniker Krankenkasse, Jens Baas, told the German Press Agency that it was extremely important that the law brought momentum back into digitization. “Although there are e-prescriptions and electronic patient files, hardly anyone uses them.” Therefore, there is an urgent need for more user-friendliness and real added value for patients and doctors so that they can also be used on a broad basis.
The draft bill from the house of Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) also provides for regulations on the planned restart for e-patient files. According to this, all those with statutory health insurance should automatically receive one by January 15, 2025 – unless you actively reject it. The e-files were introduced in 2021 as a voluntary offer, but not even one percent of the 74 million insured uses them. They should be able to save findings, laboratory values or drug lists.
