E-prescription for chronic medications. What is it and what should you know?

The e-prescription for chronic medications allows for safe and convenient continuation of therapy thanks to electronic access to prescriptions and dosages visible in the system, as confirmed by scientific studies on the digitization of long-term care and the simplification of therapy for patients with chronic diseases.

• Allows for the continuation of treatment without an in-person visit, after contacting a doctor.
• Facilitates dosage control and access to therapy history.
• Can be received in a mobile app or through the Internet Patient Account.
• Redemption is possible at any pharmacy based on a 4-digit code.
• Reduces the risk of errors and loss of reimbursement when purchasing multiple packages.

See also: E-prescription for extending medications – what you need to know!

How does the e-prescription for chronic medications work?

The e-prescription for chronic medications is a standard form of medical document that a doctor issues electronically and assigns an e-prescription code to it. Studies on digital systems in the treatment of chronic diseases show that electronic documentation improves medication adherence and reduces the number of errors associated with traditional prescriptions.

The prescription is automatically stored in the Internet Patient Account (IKP), ensuring its availability regardless of where the patient receives treatment. The data is not destroyed or lost, and the system always presents the current medication dosages.

Information about it can be received via email or SMS, according to the patient’s account settings.

How to order an e-prescription for the continuation of chronic treatment?

A patient can obtain a prescription for the continuation of treatment after a consultation, which most often takes place as a phone consultation. Studies on telemedicine indicate that in stable chronic conditions, a phone interview is sufficient to assess the need for therapy continuation.

The doctor verifies the treatment history, assesses the need for medications, and analyzes clinical data. In the case of stable therapy, issuing a prescription does not require an in-person visit.

The clinic may also provide the option to order another prescription through an electronic form if the patient’s condition is well recognized and the treatment has been ongoing for a long time.

How is the e-prescription for chronic medications fulfilled at the pharmacy?

To fulfill the prescription, an e-prescription code and the patient’s PESEL number are needed. All pharmacies have access to a central system, so the document works at any location.

Patients can use several pharmacies as needed, without the risk of losing reimbursement — data on packages issued from the prescription is updated in real-time. Pharmacoeconomic studies show that this eliminates the need for issuing duplicates and improves the comfort of patients using multiple chronic medications.

If a paper document is needed, it is possible to generate a printout of the prescription from the system.

How do IKP and the mojeIKP app support medication intake?

The Internet Patient Account (IKP) allows for constant access to the history of prescribed medications, information on dosages, and all e-prescriptions. Studies on the use of health portals show that patients more often correctly follow treatment when they have access to reminders and dosage instructions.

The mojeIKP app allows:

• to receive notifications about new prescriptions,
• to fulfill the prescription using a QR code,
• to use medication reminder functions,
• to view the medication leaflet via code scanner,
• to save the prescription locally as a PDF file on a mobile device.

A parent can also check the dosages of medications prescribed to children up to 18 years old, and an authorized person has access to the prescriptions of a close person.

Can the e-prescription for chronic medications be obtained in a cross-border version?

The cross-border e-prescription allows for the fulfillment of certain prescriptions in European Union countries. In the case of chronic therapies, a doctor can change the type of prescription to cross-border if the patient requires access to medications outside the country.

The decision to issue such a prescription depends on the compliance of the preparation and dosage with the regulations of the country where it will be fulfilled.

Q&A

Does an e-prescription for chronic medications require a doctor’s visit?
Not always — the continuation of therapy often occurs after a phone consultation.

Can different medications from one prescription be purchased at different pharmacies?
Yes, the system retains reimbursement for each package.

Does the mojeIKP app work offline?
Yes, the saved QR code allows the prescription to be fulfilled without the Internet.

Does IKP store medication dosages?
Yes, you can check the recorded dosage at any time.

Can an e-prescription for regular medications be ordered without a visit?
Yes, if the clinic provides a form for ordering the continuation of treatment.

Sources

1. WHO – Digital Health Systems and Chronic Disease Management.
2. Journal of Medical Internet Research – Electronic Prescriptions in Long-Term Therapy.
3. OECD – Continuity of Care and Digital Prescription Services.
4. European Observatory on Health Systems – Medication Adherence and E-health Tools.