The tests around the e-prescription, which have been running in Berlin-Brandenburg since July 2021, will be extended – still limited to this region – by an initial two months until the end of November. This was decided by the gematik Shareholders' Meeting on 29.09.2021. How a subsequent nationwide introductory phase will be structured will be decided in the course of the further test phase. There is no change to the nationwide mandatory introduction of the e-prescription on 1 January 2022.
The reason for the extension of the test phase in the focus region: from 01.10.2021, a significant increase in the number of adapted primary systems is expected due to the start of the quarter. So far, not all providers of practice or pharmacy management systems have been able to provide the update necessary for the e-prescription. Only then can these be installed in practices and pharmacies. The following applies here: the faster the updates are provided, the better.
So far, many insured persons have not yet received the latest generation of the electronic health card with NFC interface and associated PIN. However, the card and PIN of the respective health insurance fund are prerequisites for being able to use the gematik e-prescription app to its full extent, i.e. to receive and manage prescriptions in the app. A few days ago, the Federal Ministry of Health received commitments from other large health insurance funds that will now also actively participate in the test phase.
"gematik has implemented and provided the technical requirements for the e-prescription on time, and the test phase so far shows: the e-prescription works," explains gematik CEO Dr Markus Leyck Dieken. "The introduction is a challenging project with many participants. Depending on the technical equipment, practices and pharmacies will gradually be able to issue or redeem e-prescriptions.“
In the previous test phase, adaptation needs were identified, corresponding changes were successfully made. "Showstoppers" were not found. With continuous test sessions – so–called "Konnekthatons" - gematik offers additional service and support for software providers who have made great progress in development. The systems can thus be tested together, which facilitates the introduction.
