The Ministry of Health stated that the transition to electronic prescriptions should not create inconvenience for patients, including the elderly. As explained by Assistant Minister of Health Alexey Kuznetsov, an electronic prescription is a digital analogue of a regular paper form that a doctor fills out in a medical information system.
The patient does not necessarily need to use a smartphone, computer, or independently search for the document in an application. After registration, all necessary information will be automatically available to the pharmacy. The pharmacist will be able to find the prescription in the system using the patient's SNILS.
The Ministry of Health believes that this format has several advantages. An electronic prescription cannot be lost, damaged, or forgotten at home – it is stored in a unified healthcare information system. If desired, the patient will be able to view it in their personal account on the "Gosuslugi" portal or in a mobile application, but this will not be a mandatory condition for obtaining medication.
Kuznetsov also noted that electronic prescriptions will simplify the re-obtaining of medications. For example, people with chronic diseases will not have to go to the polyclinic every time just for a new form: the doctor will be able to issue a prescription remotely during a telemedicine consultation, after which the document will immediately appear in the system.
Earlier it was reported that the Ministry of Health is preparing a bill according to which prescription drugs will be dispensed only by electronic prescriptions in certain territories.
