E-prescriptions and retaxations: Pharmacies in transition – what’s important now!

E-prescriptions and retaxations: Pharmacies in transition – what’s important now!

There is movement in the pharmacy sector: the debate about retaxations and the switch to e-prescriptions shows where the problem is. Whether through technical improvements or training in internal processes, expert advice is becoming increasingly important. The pharmacist Lobeda emphasizes the need for a fundamental change in the way pharmacies think. Instead of complaining that “the health insurance companies are annoying us,” we should rather strive to “handle social funds responsibly.”

An important aspect in this discussion is auditing. This is a daily routine process for many pharmacies. But the devil is in the details: time delays of up to twelve months and a lack of transparency in billing make the situation even more difficult. Lobeda points out that the introduction of the e-prescription brings changes here. While the assignment of retaxations used to be easier, today only main IKs are often specified, which makes the search in different cash register systems much more complicated.

Challenges of e-prescriptions

The digital revolution not only brings advantages but also new challenges. Even though the e-prescription rate in many pharmacies is already 50 to 80 percent, there are still weaknesses. It is positive that classic formal errors and the dreaded “fear retaxations” have become less common, but new sources of error are also emerging. One problematic area is job titles: missing or incorrect information can lead to a high risk of retaxation. Loud PTA today These designations are required by the Medicines Supply Ordinance (AMVV), but are often not clear, which leads to difficulties in billing.

One example is the requirements for specifying the job title for e-prescriptions; Here, errors cannot simply be corrected later. While paper-based prescriptions can be cured by consulting the doctor, e-prescriptions must be returned to the doctor's office to be reissued in the event of an error. There is disagreement about which job titles are actually required. According to the ABDA, the statement “general medicine” is sufficient, which could prove promising in practice.

Internal processes and retax avoidance

One of the main goals in the context of retaxations remains to avoid them as much as possible. Many errors arise from internal processes and the need to train and adapt these processes is urgent. Lobeda emphasizes the value of manually organized processes and the use of pharmacy software. Technical improvements could make it easier to handle and process retaxations.

Another specific point Lobeda makes is the importance of root cause analysis for repeated failures. A practical example shows a significant difference in the valuation of a prescription containing carbidopa compared to the reimbursement - such discrepancies require careful examination. In addition, the introduction of the hash code in recipes has shown encouraging results in reducing retaxations.

A lot could also be gained by having the courage to open the gap when checking retaxations, especially for small amounts. The challenge remains to design the internal structures appropriately in order to ensure a smoother pharmacy system in the future.