E-Health Systems Provide Optimal Drug Control, Healthcare

The comprehensive implementation of Electronic Medical Prescriptions (RME) and Electronic Clinical Records (EME) would represent savings to the Mexican healthcare system of more than MX$38 billion (US$1.9 billion), an amount equivalent to 17% of the budget allocated to healthcare in 2022, according to the "Estudio Médic@Digital en México" of the Mexican Foundation for Health (FUNSALUD). However, there are still challenges to overcome to achieve a solid digitalization of healthcare in the country so that RME can be extended to all institutions.

In addition to savings in public resources, the digital transformation of healthcare through Electronic Medical Prescriptions would bring great benefits to the healthcare system, and primarily for patients, such as:

• Ensuring that a certified healthcare professional is responsible for issuing prescriptions.

• Avoiding impersonation of doctors and patients.

• Reducing the number of false prescriptions issued.

• Facilitating the sourcing/restocking of pharmaceutical products.

• Improving demand forecasting for drugs and medical supplies in health institutions.

• Eliminating problems of clarity of original prescriptions, which are still made by hand in most cases.

Digitalization of the healthcare sector is key to providing better patient care, providing optimal monitoring of medical prescriptions, and strengthening access to drug treatments and health services. Technology and digital developments are important allies for RME and EME to help serve important sectors of the population through teleconsultations.

There are still technological challenges to overcome to achieve interoperability and the adoption of Electronic Medical Prescriptions. It is essential to have an infrastructure in the field that promotes the development of a healthcare ecosystem where standardization allows for reliable and up-to-date electronic catalogs of medicines, medical devices and other health supplies, while favoring the optimization of the supply chain to help ensure the accessibility, authenticity, and integrity of the RME. 

Also, through Electronic Medical Prescriptions, malpractice and errors in prescriptions, dispensing and refilling of medicines can be eliminated, as well as achieving optimal administrative and pharmacological control. The civil organization Cero Desabasto alone, highlights in its report "Radiografía del Desabasto de Medicamentos en México 2022 (X-Ray of Mexico's Drug Shortage, 2022)" that more than 15 million prescriptions were not adequately filled in the public health system during that period. 

It stressed that this situation could be reversed with the implementation of technological systems that support RME to facilitate the management of and access to medicines and medical supplies.

Currently, the ideal conditions are being created in our country for the implementation of Electronic Medical Prescriptions. This issue is present today on the public agenda, and only by creating synergies will we be able to offer effective solutions for Mexican patients. At GS1 Mexico, we want to be drivers of the transformation of the digital health ecosystem using our portfolio of technological tools to achieve this goal.

In this regard, GS1 Mexico has the Syncfonía platform, one of the most important electronic catalogs in Mexico and Latin America with the ability to store the data of all medicines, medical devices, and health supplies available on the market, using the barcode as a key to access strategic information, such as characteristics, therapeutic indications, and stocks. 

It should be noted that the Syncfonía platform contributes to product traceability in the health sector, which translates to ensuring that only original medicines are in circulation, by providing visibility of goods from their manufacture to the point of sale. It also allows better control of the supply chain, promoting collaboration between various actors for inventory management, facilitating a greater number of automated transactions and secure administration of patient data, key elements to generate and feed clinical records or issue Electronic Medical Prescriptions.

Although some health systems already have experience in electronic prescriptions, such as IMSS, ISSSTE and SEDENA, we still need to promote its implementation in all public and private healthcare institutions in the country through a legal framework that contemplates a management model, health personnel training, use of specialized software, and digital tools that ensure its standardization and interoperability.

Electronic Medical Prescription, with its law currently under approval process in the plenary of the House of Representatives, is a fundamental step to guarantee the right to health in our country. Our commitment is to facilitate and standardize the technological base that promotes access and management of medicines and health supplies throughout the supply chain, from the moment they leave the laboratory to the moment they reach patients, for the health and quality of life of all Mexicans.