Starting July 1, the traditional handwritten medical order will lose validity throughout the country, as the provinces will adhere to the mandatory electronic medical prescription that was promulgated by the national government.
The measure, which affects both the prescription of medications and the orders for studies and practiceswas highly celebrated not only by medical professionals, but also by pharmacists, due to the benefits that come with its application.
How it will be implemented in Mendoza
The implementation of the recipes that In Mendoza several specialists have begun to use it with very favorable results.will allow optimizing and simplifying healthcare processes, reducing unnecessary costs to the health system, as well as mark progress towards digitalization and modernizationa process that the portfolio led by Rodolfo Montero has been considering for months.
In this way, since July 1, patients who see any specialist or medical professional that is part of the Federal Network for the Registration of Health Professionals (REDEPS) They will receive in their email or WhatsApp the electronic prescription with the prescription of the medication or the request for a study or practice order.
The prescriptions have a barcode or QR code and the patient must show them directly at the pharmacy, without the need to print the order.
“The electronic prescription, just like the traditional one, will have an expiration date of 30 days from the moment it was issued and no more than three medications can be prescribed per order,” express Sandra Mottahead of the Medical Clinic service at Lencinas Hospital.
In addition, the doctor said that the professional must indicate the size of the container required and, if not, the pharmacist will dispense the smallest quantity.
Another interesting point is that in the case of chronic patientssome prepaid or social insurance plans allow the doctor to charge the prescriptions for three months, so the patient only has to go to the pharmacies with their membership number to pick up the medication, a system similar to the one that PAMI implemented years ago with its affiliates.
A key fact of the new policy is that A National Registry of Computer Solutions and a National Dictionary of Medicines will be created. The registry will ensure that the platforms used meet safety and efficiency standards, while the dictionary will ensure uniformity in the prescription of medicines at the national level.
Pharmacies must archive and save digital prescriptions for 3 years.
The word of the professionals
For doctors, the incorporation of electronic prescription will be beneficial since automates processes, reduces errors and fraud, and improves medication traceability.
In addition, it implies quick access to the patient’s medical history and information about the medications they are taking, allowing for a more agile and precise prescription.
“This reduces the chance of errors, such as incorrect medication selection or dosage, and provides up-to-date information on available drugs,” manifested Lodovico Palmahead of the Mendoza Medical Circle.
However, For the professional, not everything is positive: “The implementation of this system has a cost and requires that both health professionals and patients be trained in its use. Additionally, there are concerns about the vulnerability of the system to technical failures or internet interruptions.”
Therefore, from the Mendoza Medical Federation and the Medical Circleexpressed their concern about the Potential increase in inequality in access to health care.
“Patients who do not have access to a computer or the internet could face difficulties obtaining their electronic prescriptions, which could exacerbate existing gaps in the health system”Palma declared.
Likewise, Motta stressed: “The use of electronic prescription will also allow patients to abuse it and not pay for the consultation accordingly, which will further harm professionals’ fees.”
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