Moldovan citizens to benefit from compensated medicines and medical devices under electronic prescription

Chisinau, April 2 /MOLDPRES/- Citizens will benefit from compensated drugs and medical devices under electronic prescription. The National Health Insurance Company (CNAM), in partnership with the Ministry of Health, today launched the automated information system e-Prescription for compensated medicines and medical devices.

Once system is implemented, the paper prescription for compensated medicines and medical devices will be replaced by an electronic form. The electronic prescription will give patients faster access to compensated medicines and medical devices by reducing waiting time at the doctor and pharmacy.

Attending the event, Health Minister Ala Nemerenco said that e-prescribing is a significant step in the modernisation of the health system in the Republic of Moldova and brings many benefits for patients, doctors and pharmacists. "It aims to de-bureaucratise the health system. It will facilitate patient access to compensated medicines and medical devices, but also ease the work of doctors and pharmacists. It will also reduce the risk of medical errors and fraud. Doctors in all regions of the country will be further trained on how to use the system to facilitate the process of prescribing medicines and medical devices," said Ala Nemerenco.

At the pharmacy, citizens will be able to pick up compensated medicines or medical devices upon presentation of their IDs. 

"One of its key aspects is the creation of a comprehensive database of all prescriptions, which ensures that doctors and pharmacists get up-to-date information quickly. This innovation will contribute to the further digitisation of the healthcare system, increase the quality of healthcare and the rational use of medicines. As of 1 April, the system is mandatory in use. For the time being, medicines are still dispensed on the basis of paper prescriptions written up to 31 March, but soon their validity period will expire," CNAM Director-General Ion Dodon said.

The implementation of the electronic prescription will also allow continuous monitoring of the use of compensated medicines and medical devices, better management of resources in this area, as well as reducing human errors in prescribing, processing and issuing prescriptions.

On the first day of launch alone, 1,300 people benefited from more than 3,000 medicines and medical devices worth 550,000 lei. The development of the electronic system cost 3.4 million lei, money allocated from the state budget. Previously, 1.5 million lei was spent annually on purchasing prescription paper.

Last year, about 800 thousand unique beneficiaries of compensated medicines and medical devices were registered, amounting to 1 billion lei.