Receive the medical prescription via WhatsApp, email, SMS or with a simple phone call. The Coronavirus emergency deals a fatal blow to one of the great Italian evils, bureaucracy, giving a vigorous push to digital. At least on the little everyday things which, however, in the time of Covid-19, can jeopardize the health of citizens.
An important novelty on the electronic medical prescription arrived on March 19 from the Civil Protection. The institution headed by Angelo Borrelli has issued an ordinance, n.651, which provides for "the use of alternative tools to the paper memo of the electronic prescription".
THE ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECIPE IN ITALY
Let's take a step back. The electronic medical prescription has become widespread in Italy since March 2016. For four years, the legislation has allowed doctors to put aside the traditional red prescription (the paper one, to be clear), prescribing medicines, visits and exams electronically. For doctors, it is sufficient to connect to the "Health Card Reception System (Acronyms Sac for the central and Sar for the regional) and enter the requested data: doctor's identification number, patient data, type of drug or service required, reasons for the request , exemptions – when there are – and priority code.
Followed the process iThe system generates the electronic recipe which is identified with a specific and unique number. At that point, however, the digital part ends and the "physical" part begins. The doctor prints on an A5 sheet a paper reminder of the electronic prescription and delivers it to the patient who, in turn, takes it to the pharmacy to buy the drug. The third step concerns the pharmacist: who enters the prescription identification number and the patient's tax code (contained in the health card) in the Sac or Sar system and delivers the drug.
ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECIPE: THE CIVIL PROTECTION ORDER
The Civil Protection ordinance allows you to skip the second step of the path described above. The text reads:
"When the prescribing doctor generates the electronic prescription, the patient can ask the doctor to issue the dematerialized memo or to acquire the Electronic Recipe Number".
Source: Civil Protection
Roughly speaking: it will no longer be necessary to go to the doctor to collect the paper reminder of the electronic prescription, but this can be sent by the doctor to the patient via email, text message, WhatsApp or phone call.
“We strongly focus on medical prescription by email or message on the phone. A technological step forward that makes the entire national health system more efficient,” explained the Minister of Health, Roberto Speranza.
At the basis of the ordinance, however, there are not only reasons related to "the efficiency of the system", but also and above all the safety of citizens during the coronavirus emergency.
"We must do everything to limit travel and reduce the spread of the Covid-19 virus," the minister specified. The purpose of the new provisions is therefore to meet the government-imposed restrictions to curb the spread of the infection. Not going to the doctor but receiving the prescription directly on your computer or phone means make one less move and not being forced to wait together with other people in a waiting room with the risk of being infected.
ELECTRONIC MEDICAL PRESCRIPTION: HERE'S HOW
The Civil Protection ordinance explains to doctors, patients and pharmacists how to transmit and receive the "electronic prescription number" needed for medication or benefits:
Way number one: email
The electronic prescription number can be sent via email, whether it is a certified mailbox (PEC) or an ordinary one (PEO). Be careful, however, the number must not be contained in the body of the message, but in an attachment.
Mode number two: sms or mobile app
The doctor can send the patient the electronic prescription number by SMS or using any other mobile phone application. You can opt for the most popular, WhatsApp, but also for Facebook Messenger, Telegram, etc. To do this, the doctor will need to have the patient's mobile phone number at his disposal. There will be no need for attachments, but the doctor will need to send the patient:
"the Electronic Prescription Number or the barcode image of the same Electronic Prescription Number, using an application for mobile telephony, to which both the prescriber and the patient are registered, which allows the exchange of messages and Images".
Source: Civil Protection
Mode number three: phone call
The electronic medical prescription can also be transmitted via a simple telephone call during which the doctor will indicate the electronic prescription number to the patient.
THE INDICATIONS FOR PHARMACISTS
The Civil Protection ordinance also contains indications for pharmacists. In detail, when the patient arrives, smartphone and health card in hand:
“The pharmacy records the successful disbursement of the pharmaceutical prescription, transmitting to the SAC (also through the SAR) information on the disbursement, both partial and total, of the service. The SAC, or the SAR, marks this recipe as "delivered". At the same time, the pharmacy cancels the die-cuts of the medicines dispensed by affixing the letter "X" on them, clearly visible and with indelible ink, unless otherwise indicated by the region.
Source: Civil Protection
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Take a look at this tool: https://www.callbell.eu/it/help-desk-cliniche-mediche/