Soon the doctor will give us a QR code to obtain medicines at the pharmacy. Here is how it works in detail.
In 2024, things will change in our pharmacies and among our doctors. Gone are the days when we carefully kept our paper prescriptions: digital prescriptions are coming to make life easier for everyone. But what does a digital prescription mean? Basically, it’s like the paper prescription the doctor gives us, except it will also be available on our phone or computer. No need to worry if you lose your paper prescription or forget it at home.
How will it work? When the doctor writes the prescription on his computer, he will also put it online in a secure space. On this digital prescription, there will be a QR code. If we go to a pharmacist who has the equipment to read this code, we will just have to show him the code on our phone. If the pharmacy is not equipped for this, don’t panic, the paper prescription will still work.
Why is it good? First, it’s safer. This avoids the risk of losing the prescription or taking the wrong medication. Then, it’s easier to follow our care. For example, the doctor will know if you have taken the prescribed medications. And for us, it’s more practical: we have everything on our phone. The digital prescription also offers increased security by reducing the risk of false prescriptions. In addition, it simplifies the processing of supporting documents for Health Insurance and allows for better transparency in tracking prescriptions.
The implementation of this system will be done little by little. In 2023, to convince doctors to use it, they were paid 250 euros if, in the second half of 2023, 35% of health product prescriptions were made via the digital prescription process. In 2024, the objective will be to make 70% of prescriptions via digital prescription. And the idea is that by the end of 2024, all ordinances will work like this. That doesn’t change anything for those who prefer the old method: you can still use the paper prescription if you want.