Electronic Prescription for Medicines During Martial Law: How the Solution Works

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For the entire period of validity of the e-prescription, Ukrainians have already been able to see the convenience of this digital service compared to its paper counterpart. If earlier you had to go to the doctor to get each subsequent prescription, now thanks to e-prescription it can be done remotely.

An electronic prescription (e-prescription) is a digital medical document that is created in the electronic health care system (EHS) on the basis of entered medical records about the patient's state of health and contains the doctor's appointment of a certain medicine to the patient.

Hereby almost 5 million patients have used the service to date. In total, 77.65 million e-prescriptions were created in ESOZ. 

However, the war in Ukraine significantly affected the process of implementing the e-prescription. Due to martial law, changes are being implemented gradually so that patients, medical and pharmacy facilities can adapt to the new conditions. How does an e-prescription work during wartime?  

“Transition period” for medical facilities and pharmacies

The general obligation to use a prescription (both paper and electronic) remains, however, for the period of martial law, there are so-called temporary relaxations of the requirements for the use of e-prescription for medical facilities, pharmacies and patients in general. 

Conditions are established depending on the region where the pharmacy is located, the technical capability and access to the health care system, the method of financing and depending on the type of medicinal products for which the prescription is issued.

Narcotic (psychotropic) drugs and those drugs that are reimbursed partially or fully by the state, in particular “Available medicines”.

Exceptions when it is possible with a paper prescription.

For medical institutions, pharmacies and patients who are located in temporarily occupied territory or in the zone of active hostilities, the obligation of e-prescription for narcotic drugs and “Available drugs” does not apply in cases where this cannot be done (technical failure, blackouts ). Doctors have the right to prescribe these categories of medicinal products based on a paper prescription.

E-prescription or paper prescription can be used at the patient's choice for all prescription (non-narcotic (psychotropic)) medicinal products at the patient's expense.

During the martial law, there are risks of lack of light and communication, access restrictions to ESOZ. In such cases, doctors can use paper prescription forms, when there is no technical possibility to form an e-prescription in the health care system.

Exceptions when you can get medicine without a prescription.

For medical facilities, pharmacies and patients located in temporarily occupied territory or in the zone of active hostilities, the dispensing of all prescription drugs at the patient's own expense (with the exception of narcotic/psychotropic, poisonous and potent drugs) is allowed even without a doctor's prescription. This opportunity is provided in view of limited or difficult access to medical services.

Also, volunteers and volunteer organizations can purchase medicines for the needs of the front from distributors without a prescription. 

You can check whether the medicine you need is a prescription drug in the State Register of Medicines or in other services such as websites or chatbots.

What are the advantages of an e-prescription compared to a paper prescription?

The use of e-prescriptions contributes to the transparent and controlled dispensing of prescription drugs in the pharmacy, helps to fight the uncontrolled use of all prescription drugs, including antibiotics.

< p>It is thanks to the doctor’s access to the patient’s medical record in the EHOZ that the doctor will be able to treat more effectively, namely:  

• review the patient’s historical medical data;
• take into account data about your concomitant diseases, other medications you take;
• monitor treatment results and, if necessary, create a treatment plan and even avoid possible prescription errors;
• in the presence of chronic diseases, create an e-prescription remotely without unnecessary waste of time