This paperless prescription process is already in progress in various health units such as Leiria hospital, where 90% of the prescriptions are already only available digitally.
The paperless prescriptions works by issuing a drug dispensing code that the user can see either in an email, via an SMS text message or on the Health Data Platform.
Once issued, the patient then uses the code number to buy the medicines by showing his or her citizen card or identification at the pharmacy.
The doctors issuing the paperless prescriptions all have to be authenticated and have a qualified digital signature.
The benefits for the health system include drugs being able to be sourced from different chemists and the doctors being able to get information about patient allergies or previous side effects in relation to prescribed medications. It also means that patients do not have to go to a health centre just to get a prescription.
It is hoped that this new paperless prescription scheme should also help to combat fraud since there will no longer be any photocopies and falsifications available.
Paper prescriptions will continue to exist for doctors on house calls.