Germany: E-prescription launch now scheduled for Sept. 1

Actually, the e-prescription in the health sector should have been introduced already at the beginning of the year 2022, but due to various problems the start was delayed again and again. Now it is to be to 01 September 2022 but finally so far, as the Gematik GmbH responsible for the implementation communicates.

E-recipe start on 1 September

The old-known, pink recipe should actually have served out at the beginning of the year 2022. But nothing came of it. In December 2021, the German Federal Ministry of Health stated that the necessary technical systems were not yet available nationwide.

In February 2022, there was a further postponement. Now it is certain: the e-prescription launch will take place on September 1. Albeit still only on a limited scale. After the pilot phase got off to a rather slow start, a look at gematik’s dashboard shows that more than 30,000 e-prescriptions have been submitted in Germany since Saturday, June 11, 2022.

“By the end of July, the 30,000 e-prescriptions submitted so far are expected to be settled. I am very pleased that we are thus – ahead of schedule – setting the course to advance the e-prescription in the breadth of care from September,” said Dr. Markus Leyck Dieken, CEO of gematik in the press release.

Test operation in Schleswig-Holstein and Westphalia-Lippe

Initially, the e-prescription launch will take place in Schleswig-Holstein and Westphalia-Lippe. There, practices and hospitals will then “successively issue e-prescriptions on a ramp-up basis.” It should then be possible to use e-prescriptions throughout Germany.

This is about a year behind the originally announced schedule. To 01.01.2022 the electronic prescription should be already compulsorily used surface covering. In principle, the e-prescription works like a digital version of the previous paper prescription.

Patients receive a QR code that can be presented via the corresponding e-prescription app or as a printout at the pharmacy. The health insurance company’s health card is required for registration in the app. At the same time, the e-prescription is supposed to be forgery-proof thanks to a qualified electronic signature.

Recently, an interactive map has also been showing the points of acceptance available throughout Germany for the e-prescription. “In the future, additional services related to medicines as well as the digital redemption procedure will be added to further facilitate doctor and pharmacy visits,” explains Dr. Markus Leyck Dieken, CEO of gematik. More information can be found on the homepage of the e-prescription.