EU legislative Activities in EMS

Cross-border healthcare (e–prescription and patient summaries)

  • #16498

    Elsa
    Organizer

    In 2011, the European institutions adopted Directive 2011/24 which ensures continuity of care for European citizens across borders. The directive gives the possibility for Member States to exchange health data in a secure, efficient and interoperable way. If you want to read more about this you can find all useful information here:

    https://ec.europa.eu/health/cross_border_care/overview_en

    There are now 2 ongoing European initiatives:

    1) ePrescription and eDispensation allow any EU citizen to retrieve his/her medication in a pharmacy located in another EU Member State, thanks to the electronic transfer of their prescription from his/her country of residence to the country of travel. The country of residence is then informed about the retrieved medicine in the visited country

    2) Patient Summaries provide background information on important health-related aspects such as allergies, current medication, previous illness, surgeries, etc., making it digitally accessible in case of a medical (emergency) visit in another country.

    https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_18_6808

  • #16532

    Alexander
    Member

    Hi Elsa, thank you for bringing up this interesting topic. From my point of view the
    exchange of electronic prescriptions is critical to patient safety, as it
    enables doctors to better understand the medical history of foreign patients
    and to reduce the risk of wrong medication and the cost of double exams.

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