BMG cancels introduction of the e-prescription

The original launch was planned for January 1, 2022. Now the test phase is to be extended first.

January 1 was supposed to be the day: patients would no longer receive prescriptions on a pink slip of paper to hand in at the pharmacy. Instead, this was supposed to be done digitally. However, this has apparently come to nothing. Initially, among others Apotheke Adhoc and the Tagesschau reported on a letter from the Federal Ministry of Health (BMG) addressed to the shareholders of Gematik. In it, the introduction of the e-prescription was postponed. Reason: The required systems were not yet available across the board.

Gematik has now also announced that practices, pharmacies, health insurance companies and software providers need to gain more experience with the e-prescription in order to be able to convert the system safely. The nationwide test phase is therefore being extended. This has been running since the beginning of December and should be used to install updates, install the software, train staff and test the stability of the interaction between the individual components. As soon as a number of defined quality criteria have been met, the rollout will take place, explains Gematik. However, the procedure has not yet been determined. The company has repeatedly emphasized that the test phase must be used intensively by all parties involved in order for the e-prescription to succeed. All stakeholders are required to participate intensively.

The e-prescription should bring many advantages. For example, it should be possible for family members to fill it on their behalf, it should be secure and less complicated, and it should save travel. Among other things, it will work via an app that tens of thousands of people have already downloaded - in the hope that they will soon be able to use it. However, instead of an app, there will also be printed QR codes that patients can receive. It is unclear when the launch will actually take place.