The Digital Prescription: A Turning Point for Pharmacies and Laboratories

Imagine a patient arriving at your pharmacy, no longer with an often illegible paper prescription, but with a simple QR code on their smartphone. You scan this code, and instantly all the medical information is at hand, ready to be processed. This is the future of the digital prescription, an innovation that promises to transform the way you, as healthcare professionals, interact with medical prescriptions.

The Essor of the Digital Ordinance

Since 2023, France has been gradually rolling out digital prescriptions throughout its territory. With several million digital prescriptions already generated, this innovation aims to replace paper prescriptions by 2025. Nearly 40% of pharmacies are now equipped to process these dematerialized prescriptions, thanks to compatible software, supported by public health initiatives such as Mon Espace Santé.

In March 2024, a decisive step was taken with the integration of electronic prescriptions directly into the Dossier Médical Partagé (DMP). This enables patients to retrieve their prescriptions easily via Mon Espace Santé. Doctors and pharmacists benefit from seamless, secure access to prescriptions.

Benefits for Pharmacies and Laboratories

The digital prescription offers a number of advantages for players in the pharmaceutical sector:

1. Increased security: One of the main benefits is the reduction in errors associated with hard-to-decipher handwriting. In addition, prescription fraud, a recurring problem with paper versions, is greatly reduced.
2. Improved prescription traceability: Pharmacies can now track the history of prescriptions, making it easier to manage refills for patients with chronic illnesses. Pharmacists can monitor in real time whether or not the prescription has been filled.
3. Time savings: By scanning a simple QR code or accessing directly via digital platforms, the process is accelerated, improving productivity at the counter while reducing the risk of human error.
4. Contribution to the fight against waste: With more precise management of refills, quantities dispensed are better controlled, reducing excess unused medication. Not only does this enable us to manage our stocks more effectively, it also contributes to preserving the environment.

New challenges for the sector

One of the main challenges remains the compatibility of IT systems, particularly between the software used by doctors, pharmacists and healthcare establishments. The development of this infrastructure relies on collaboration between public and private players. In addition, strengthening data security is essential, as sensitive healthcare information must be protected against cyber-attacks.

At the same time, professionals need to ensure that they are properly trained to use these new digital tools, and that their software is regularly updated to guarantee smooth prescription processing.

What this means for pharmacists and laboratories

For pharmacists, it's essential to prepare for this transition now. Not only will it make their day-to-day work easier, it will also enable them to remain competitive in a rapidly digitizing sector. Digital prescriptions improve the pharmacist-patient relationship, thanks to better inventory management and precise treatment tracking.

Laboratories also benefit from this development. Thanks to improved traceability of prescriptions, they will be able to monitor the distribution of their products more effectively, gain a better understanding of consumer trends and adjust their production strategies accordingly.

The digital prescription is much more than just a technical transformation. It marks the start of a new era for pharmacies, pharmacy groups and laboratories, in which safety, speed and efficiency are at the heart of drug dispensing. To ensure a successful transition, it is essential that professionals get to grips with this tool right away, by updating their IT systems and training their teams.

Sources

• Ordre National des Pharmaciens : Electronic prescription
• Moniteur des Pharmacies: Understanding digital prescriptions
• France Assos Santé

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