Since 3 January 2011, paper prescriptions for medicines have been replaced with electronic prescriptions in the counties of Lika-Senj (central Croatia) and Međimurje (northern Croatia). By the end of January 2011, all counties across Croatia are expected to switch to ePrescriptions.
In practice, the switch from paper to an electronic prescribing system requires the prescriber to transmit electronically prescription information via computer to that of the pharmacist. Patients can then get their medicines simply by using their medical card. The introduction of ePrescriptions will continue on 17 January 2011 in other counties and will end on 31 January 2011 when Zagreb County and Zagreb City will also connect to the system.
Once ePrescrptions have been put into use, the introduction of eReferral will follow; it will first be implemented in microbiological laboratories and for other services. In order to avoid emergency situations, such as the inability of pharmacies that are electronically linked with the eHealth CEZIH system to dispense prescriptions electronically, first-time patients will be able to ask the doctor the history of the disease for which the drugs are used, so that they can get them in case of a problem. This has been agreed between the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Croatian Chamber of Pharmacists.
The Croatian eHealth system has been tested and it is ready for use; it has been implemented under the advanced system of data protection (HL7), which is recommended by the World Health Organisation and the European Commission. The system is run from two identical servers, one located in Rijeka and the other one in Zagreb; in case either of the two servers fails, one will continue to work avoiding thus any loss of data.
The project of the computerisation of the primary health care system will cost HRK 55 million (approx. €7.5 million) and, given the current cost of paper for a prescription which is HRK 15 million (approx. €2 million), the investment is expected to pay off in two to two and half years.
The introduction of ePrescriptions, and later eReferrals, will increase cost-efficiency and access to health care, while the administrative burden for healthcare practitioners and pharmacists will be minimised.
Source: ePractice.eu
Posts
