Digitization: Start of “e-prescription” delayed

It was supposed to cut down on paperwork and make our healthcare system a little more convenient – the e-prescription. Now, however, the ambitious project seems to be delayed. Those responsible apparently don’t want to rush things.

Technical problems

Anyone who is prescribed a prescription drug by their doctor will still receive an old-fashioned-looking piece of paper in 2022. The classic paper prescription will probably be around for a while in our healthcare system. The original plan was somewhat different. After all, a digital revolution in prescribing medications was supposed to take place as early as January 2022 with the “e-prescription”. What sounded promising now seems to be on hold for the time being. It was decided to postpone the project for an “indefinite period” because the basic technical design was still too faulty. In particular, the technical implementation of the issuing of certificates of incapacity to work is still struggling with problems.

But even the core element in the form of the eponymous prescriptions still has to contend with technical quirks. The whole thing came to light in a press release from the German Bundestag. Of course, all this may be annoying, but the purpose is to ensure that a technical implementation also works properly. The dangers of incorrectly issued prescriptions or certificates of incapacity for work would be too great. Once the technical requirements have been met, there is nothing to be said against rapid implementation. This is also made clear by the Federal Ministry of Health. The department’s parliamentary state secretary, Sabine Dittmar (SPD), said in this regard:

“As soon as these are fulfilled, the conversion to the e-prescription should also take place”

No introduction “at a pig’s gallop and with the crowbar”

Calls for a quick leap into the digital age became louder and louder against the Federal Ministry of Health. But there were also people who considered the move too hasty and wanted to shift down a gear. One example is the chairwoman of the KVB’s representative assembly, Petra Reis-Berkowicz. She suggested that the e-prescription should not be introduced at the drop of a hat, but that a test phase should be carried out first. Otherwise, she said, there were many risks that should not be taken in the sensitive healthcare sector. She described a then still scheduled start of the e-prescription in January 2022 as “at a pig’s gallop and with the crowbar” in the fall of last year.

Extensive testing needed

According to experts, it is of great importance to conduct an extensive test phase before introducing e-prescribing. Yet our healthcare system is not really a grateful place to implement technical innovations. It is precisely the complex interlocking between health insurers, doctors and pharmacies that makes this so. The test run granted by the federal government was far too short to meet these complex requirements. According to Reis-Berkowicz, physicians also complain that they were barely involved in the thought process surrounding e-prescribing.

“We’ve never been asked if this is the way to implement it in our workflows.”