The e-health system in the country is managed by the Lithuanian center of registers and distinguishes by the amount of data processed. One of its most important parts from 2015 onwards is operating e-prescriptions. Taking advantage of this possibility, in 2019 alone, more than 10 million e-prescriptions were issued.
During the implementation of the e-prescription project, an electronic prescription service was developed for Lithuanian patients, specialists of health care institutions, and entities performing the accounting of reimbursable medicines and reimbursable medical aids. The centralized electronic prescription issuing and processing system was developed and implemented by the company Novian Systems.
Situation
Before the e-prescription appearing in Lithuania, the doctor, after receiving the patient, was forced to devote a lot of time to writing. As a result, patient visits to health care facilities were delayed and doctors were able to receive fewer people. Also, paper recipes were awkward – easy to lose or forget.
Problem
To solve the problem, it was necessary not only to properly organize the legal framework but also to create an e-prescription information system. When developing it, it was important to know both the relevant technological tools and the field itself, its legal regulation. In addition to the large amount of information it processes, the system covers a wide range of healthcare system chains, from healthcare professionals, pharmacists, and institutions ensuring the healthcare service financing to the end-user – the patient.
Solution
The programming company Novian Systems (then acted as “Algoritmų sistemos”) undertook to ensure the technological part of the solution – to create and implement a centralized system for issuing and processing electronic prescriptions.
Result
The created ability to issue e-prescription speeds up the prescribing process for both patients and pharmacies, as well as healthcare facilities. Its relevance is also confirmed by the fact that in 2019 alone, more than 10 mln. e-recipes were issued.
A centralized electronic prescribing and management system has been developed and implemented to ensure that patients holding e-prescriptions would purchase the prescribed medication at the pharmacy with an identity document. As a result, customer service in pharmacies becomes faster. Also, prescriptions have become clearer and easier to read than handwriting, making the process of dispensing prescription drugs in pharmacies smoother.
In the personal account on the healthcare portal patients can always see what prescriptions have been issued to them, receive notifications or reminders about canceled or extended electronic prescriptions.
The e-prescription system also made it possible for doctors to work more efficiently. They no longer need to use paper guides – the search for medicine in the electronic system could be done both by the specific name of the medicine and by the common name of the active substance. Besides, doctors provide the necessary information about the use of the drug in the prescription, and by logging in to the system, they can make sure that the patient has purchased the prescribed medicines.
So doctors can spend more time on patients and choose the most appropriate treatment. Besides, in some cases, doctors can write prescriptions without even meeting the patient, but only by having a conversation on the phone.
